EFFECTS OF PEF ON DROUGHT STRESS RESPONSE OF SCUTELLARIA BAICALENSIS SEEDS AND ITS PHYSIOLOGICAL MECHANISM

PEF pretreatment enhances Scutellaria seed germination and growth, improving drought adaptability. Using PEG-6000 to simulate drought stress, germination potential (42.86%), germination rate (44.76%), and germination index (27.73%) were significantly improved under 12.5% PEG. PEF treatment also increased vigor index, root length, and dry weight, shortened germination time, enhanced SOD and POD activities, reduced MDA content, and elevated levels of soluble sugars, soluble proteins, proline, and α-amylase. Hormonal analysis revealed increased gibberellin and auxin contents accompanied by reduced ABA levels. Overall, PEF pretreatment effectively promoted seed germination and growth under drought stress conditions.