Vigour Index on Time Basis Calculation on Agastache mexicana Subsp. mexicana Throughout Induced Hydric Stress: SiO2 and Artificial Shade Application Effects

Understanding the impact of hydric stress on medicinal plants in the context of climate change is becoming increasingly important. This study aimed to assess the quality of a seed lot of Agastache mexicana subsp. mexicana (Amm) through a novel calculation of the Vigour Index on time basis (VIT). The evaluation was based on relationships among plant height, leaf number, survival time, and plant density across six irrigation regimes, referred to as stages, which differed in the timing and quantity of water, designed to impose water stress from seedling emergence until plant death. To maximise growth and survival time, we utilised two input factors: Artificial Shade Levels (ASLs) of 38%, 87%, and 94%, as well as Silicon Dioxide Levels (SDLs) of 0.0%, 0.2%, 0.4%, and 0.8%. The effects of these treatments were measured using the Survival Index (SI) and the VIT. The plants achieved their highest SI and VIT values influenced by minimum mortality and maximum height and leaf number in stage three. This behaviour aligned with the field capacity of the substrate, supporting the evaluation of stages one and two as waterlogging stress, while the remaining stages were classified as drought stress. The VIT results showed statistically significant effects from ASL, particularly at 94%. However, the VIT in relation to SDL was not statistically significant. The VIT measurements were visualised using spline interpolation, a method that provides an effective approach to quantify adverse conditions affecting Amm’s development and that it can support to identify the hydric stresses type.