Rebalancing Nutrients, Reinforcing Antioxidant and Osmoregulatory Capacity, and Improving Yield Quality in Drought-Stressed Phaseolus vulgaris by Foliar Application of a Bee-Honey Solution

Abstract

Bee-honey solution (BHS) is considered a plant growth multi-biostimulator because it is rich in osmoprotectants, antioxidants, vitamins, and mineral nutrients that can promote drought stress (DtS) resistance in common bean plants. As a novel strategy, BHS has been used in a few studies, which shows that the application of BHS can overcome the stress effects on plant productivity and can contribute significantly to bridging the gap between agricultural production and the steady increase in population under climate changes. Under sufficient watering (SW (100% of crop evapotranspiration; ETc) and DtS (60% of ETc)), the enhancing impacts of foliar application with BHS (0%, 0.5%, 1.0%, and 1.5%) on growth, productivity, yield quality, physiological-biochemical indices, antioxidative defense ingredients, and nutrient status were examined in common bean plants (cultivar Bronco). DtS considerably decreased growth and yield traits, green pod quality, and water use efficiency (WUE); however, application of BHS at all concentrations significantly increased all of these parameters under normal or DtS conditions. Membrane stability index, relative water content, nutrient contents, SPAD (chlorophyll content), and PSII efficiency (Fv/Fm, photochemical activity, and performance index) were markedly reduced under DtS; however, they increased significantly under normal or DtS conditions by foliar spraying of BHS at all concentrations. The negative impacts of DtS were due to increased oxidants [hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and superoxide (O2•−)], electrolyte leakage (EL), and malondialdehyde (MDA). As a result, the activity of the antioxidant system (ascorbate peroxidase, glutathione reductase, catalase, superoxide dismutase, α-tocopherol, glutathione, and ascorbate) and levels of osmoprotectants (soluble protein, soluble sugars, glycine betaine, and proline) were increased. However, all BHS concentrations further increased osmoprotectant and antioxidant capacity, along with decreased MDA and EL under DtS. What is interesting in this study was that a BHS concentration of 1.0% gave the best results under SW, while a BHS concentration of 1.5% gave the best results under DtS. Therefore, a BHS concentration of 1.5% could be a viable strategy to mitigate the DtS impairment in common beans to achieve satisfactory growth, productivity, and green pod quality under DtS.

Synergistic Effects of Kaolin and Silicon Nanoparticles for Ameliorating Deficit Irrigation Stress in Maize Plants by Upregulating Antioxidant Defense Systems

“…A result of this was limited nutrient uptake because transpiration was reduced, ions were immobilized, membrane permeability was reduced, and the roots were not able to absorb nutrients [93]. It has been reported that N, P, and K uptake decreases with an increased duration of water deficit [94]. Insufficient soil moisture and osmotic stress are two factors that contribute to decreased nutrient uptake.…”

Effect of Eco-Friendly Application of Bee Honey Solution on Yield, Physio-Chemical, Antioxidants, and Enzyme Gene Expressions in Excessive Nitrogen-Stressed Common Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) Plants

“…Encoring growth, yield, and pod quality of excessive N-stressed P. vulgaris plants by foliar spraying with DHS indicated that this multi-bio-stimulator (mBS; DHS) has multiple mechanisms (e.g., osmoprotectants, different antioxidants, including ascorbate and B-group vitamins, and various nutrients, including iodine and selenium). All of these BSs support plants to encore their development and growth because of the mitigation of excessive N stress [16,17,24].…”

“…), antioxidant compounds (ascorbate, AsA; glutathione, GSH; proline; alkaloids; flavonoids; carotenoids; α-tocopherol; phenolics; etc.) [12,13], and osmoregulatory compounds (ORCs) like simple sugars, soluble proteins, and glycine betaine [14][15][16][17][18].…”

Alleviating saline-calcareous stress in Atriplex nummularia seedlings by foliar spraying with silymarin-enriched bee-honey solution

“…The SBH was prepared [12,15,26] by adding 10 mL to each L distilled water and enriched with 200 μg Sim per L of solution. The SBH (1.0% beehoney solution enriched with 200 μg silymarin per L of solution) was nominated for this principal study because it conferred the best findings among many treatments (0.5% bee-honey solution, 1.0% bee-honey solution, 1.5% bee-honey solution, 1.0% bee-honey solution enriched with 100 μg silymarin per L of solution, 1.0% bee-honey solution enriched with 200 μg silymarin per L of solution, and 1.0% bee-honey solution enriched with 300 μg silymarin per L of solution) applied in a preliminary study (data not shown).…”