Comparative analysis of peg-induced in-vitro drought stress responses in strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa Duch.) cultivars

This study investigated the morphological, physiological, and biochemical responses of three commercially important strawberry cultivars (‘Camarosa’, ‘Albion’, and ‘Sweet Charlie’) to in-vitro drought stress induced by polyethylene glycol (PEG). Increasing osmotic stress resulted in clear cultivar-specific response patterns. ‘Albion’ exhibited the highest drought tolerance, characterised by sustained vegetative growth, higher chlorophyll content, improved relative water content, and enhanced antioxidant enzyme activities under moderate and severe stress conditions. ‘Camarosa’ showed moderate resilience, particularly through stable root development and maintenance of physiological traits under osmotic stress. In contrast, ‘Sweet Charlie’ was highly sensitive to PEG-induced drought stress, displaying pronounced reductions in growth, impaired water status, and elevated oxidative stress indicators. Multivariate analysis further confirmed the distinct adaptive strategies of the cultivars by clearly separating tolerant and sensitive genotypes based on their physiological and biochemical traits. These findings confirm the suitability of PEG-induced in-vitro screening as a rapid and controlled tool for drought tolerance evaluation, with ‘Albion’ emerging as a strong candidate for breeding programs targeting water-deficit conditions.