LAUSR

Abstract Growth performance and enzymatic-antioxidant activities of Moringa oleifera were investigated under simultaneous effect of water availability and plant growth regulators. Plant growth regulators i.e., cytokinin (50 mg L−1), thiourea (5 mM), benzyl amino purine (BAP @ 50 mg L−1), salicylic acid (50 mg L−1), hydrogen peroxide (120 μM) and ascorbic acid (50 mg L−1) were exogenously applied to moringa plants at three water holding capacity levels, 100, 70, and 40% in a completely randomized design with three replications. A decrease in shoot length, leaf score and number of branches was recorded at 100 and 40% water holding capacity as the plants respond well at 70% water holding capacity. BAP, cytokinin and salicylic acid were found as effective plant growth regulators in improving drought tolerance in moringa plants even at 40% water holding capacity. On the basis of these findings, moringa can be suggested to cultivate as a fodder crop under water deficit conditions and its tolerance can be further improved by foliar application of benzyl amino purine and ascorbic acid.