Physiological and Biochemical Adaptations of Bacopa monnieri (L.) Wettst in NaCl Stress and Salicylic Acid Elicitation during In Vitro Micropropagation

The Salt stress had a negative effect on growth, water status, photosynthetic pigments and membrane stability and a positive effect on osmoprotectants and oxidative stress markers. Salicylic acid (SA) application caused improved biomass accumulation, chlorophyll content, antioxidant enzyme activities and water balance in the cells under the exogenous application of SA under salinity stress. The best response was for moderate salinity and SA elicitation (100 mM NaCl + 1.0 mM SA), suggesting increased stress tolerance and metabolic adaptation. The results obtained in this study suggest that the in vitro performance and stress resistance of B. monnieri cultures could be enhanced by SA-mediated elicitation. Keywords: Bacopa monnieri; Salinity stress; Sodium chloride; Salicylic acid; in vitro culture; physiological adaptation; biochemical response; antioxidant enzymes.