Physiological responses of two Jerusalem artichoke cultivars to drought stress induced by polyethylene glycol

Physiological responses of two Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus L.) cultivars with different drought sensitivity to drought stress induced by polyethylene glycol (PEG) 6000 were investigated by characterizing water status, membrane lipid peroxidation, key antioxidant enzymes activity, and proline accumulation. It was observed that the drought-tolerant Jerusalem artichoke cv. Xiuyan maintained a relatively higher water status than the drought-sensitive cv. Yulin upon drought treatments. Meanwhile, lower levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) as well as higher levels of free proline occurred in cv. Xiuyan after 36 h drought treatments. Moreover, the activities of catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in cv. Xiuyan were higher than cv. Yulin after drought stress. These results indicated that drought sensitivities actually differ between Jerusalem artichoke cv. Xiuyan and cv. Yulin, and the cv. Xiuyan was more tolerant to drought stress caused by polyethylene glycol.     

Differential responses of the enzymes involved in proline biosynthesis and degradation in drought tolerant and sensitive cotton genotypes during drought stress and recovery

The relative water content (RWC), free proline levels and the activities of enzymes involved in proline metabolism were studied in drought tolerant (Ca/H 680) and drought sensitive (Ca/H 148) genotypes of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) during induction of water stress and posterior recovery. Water stress caused a significant increase in proline levels and P5CS activity in leaves of both tolerant and sensitive genotypes, whereas the activity of P5CR increased minimally and the activity of OAT remains unchanged. The activity of PDH decreased under drought stress in both the genotypes. The leaf of tolerant genotype maintained higher RWC, photosynthetic activity and proline levels, as well as higher P5CS and P5CR activities under water stress than that of drought sensitive genotype. The drought induced proline levels and activities of P5CS and P5CR declined and tend to be equal to their respective controls, during recovery, whereas the PDH activity tends to increase. These results indicate that induction of proline levels by up regulation of P5CS and down regulation of PDH may be involved in the development of drought tolerance in cotton.     

Antioxidant responses to water deficit by drought‐tolerant and ‐sensitive sugarcane varieties

Water deficit is the major yield‐limiting factor of crop plants. The exposure of plants to this abiotic stress can result in oxidative damage due to the overproduction of reactive oxygen species. The aim of this work was to study the antioxidant‐stress response of drought‐tolerant (SP83‐2847 and SP83‐5073) and drought‐sensitive (SP90‐3414 and SP90‐1638) sugarcane varieties to water‐deficit stress, which was imposed by withholding irrigation for 3, 10 and 20 days. The drought‐sensitive varieties exhibited the lowest leaf relative water content and highest lipid peroxidation, hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) and proline contents during the progression of the drought‐stress condition. The antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), guaiacol peroxidase (GPOX) and glutathione reductase (GR) activities changed according to variety and stress intensity. SP83‐2847 exhibited higher CAT and APX activities than the other varieties in the early stage of drought, while the activities of GPOX and GR were the highest in the other varieties at the end of the drought‐stress period. A Cu/Zn SOD isoenzyme was absent at the end of drought period from the SP90‐3414‐sensitive variety. The results indicate that lipid peroxidation and early accumulation of proline may be good biochemical markers of drought sensitivity in sugarcane.     

Alterations in photosynthetic pigments, protein and osmotic components in cotton genotypes subjected to short-term drought stress followed by recovery

In order to assess drought tolerance mechanism in cotton, short-term drought-induced biochemical responses were monitored in two cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) genotypes contrasting their tolerance to water deficit. The seeds of two genotypes, namely GM 090304 (moderately drought tolerant) and Ca/H 631 (drought sensitive), were sown in pots containing soil, sand and peat in the ratio of 1:1:1, and irrigated every alternate day up to 45 days after sowing when each genotype was subjected to a cycle of water stress by withholding irrigation for 7 days. The stress cycle was terminated by re-watering the stressed plants for 7 days. The leaf of the drought tolerant genotype (GM 090304) maintained higher relative water content under water stress than that of the drought sensitive genotype (Ca/H 631). The levels of biochemical components, such as chlorophylls, carotenoids, total protein, free proline, total free amino acids, sugars, starch and polyphenols, were measured during the stress as well as the recovery periods. The chlorophylls, carotenoids, protein and starch contents decreased in drought stressed plants as compared to control and tended to increase when the plants were recovered from stress. The degree of decrease in chlorophylls, carotenoids and protein contents under drought was higher in the sensitive genotype (Ca/H 631) as compared to the moderately tolerant genotype (GM 090304). However, proline, total free amino acids, total sugars, reducing sugars and polyphenol contents were increased in drought stressed plants and tended to decrease during the period of recovery. Drought-induced increases in total free amino acids, proline, sugars and polyphenols were significantly higher in the moderately tolerant genotype (GM 090304) than in the sensitive genotype (Ca/H 631). These results suggest that proline, sugars and polyphenols act as main compatible solutes in cotton in order to maintain osmotic balance, to protect cellular macromolecules, to detoxify the cells, and to scavenge free radicals under water stress condition.     

栓皮栎幼苗对土壤干旱胁迫的生理响应

以栓皮栎一年生盆栽苗为实验材料,采用称重控水的方法,设置不同土壤水分胁迫梯度,系统分析其幼苗在不同干旱胁迫条件下的生理生化响应特征,以探索栓皮栎耐旱特性.结果显示:(1)栓皮栎幼苗叶片中3种保护酶(SOD、POD、CAT)活性在对照(CK,土壤相对含水量19.5％～21.5％)条件下保持稳定,而中度干旱(T2,9.5％～11.5％)和重度干旱(T3,5.5％～7.5％)条件下,随着胁迫时间的延长呈先增高后降低的趋势,且变化的幅度在不同胁迫强度下存在差异.(2)在整个干旱胁迫过程中,各胁迫处理叶片丙二醛(MDA)含量均呈上升趋势,不同胁迫强度的变化幅度不同;叶片中的可溶性蛋白含量和根系活力随着干旱胁迫程度的增强呈先增高后降低的趋势.(3)栓皮栎幼苗叶片的脯氨酸含量随着干旱胁迫时间的延长表现出先增加后降低的趋势;叶片叶绿素a、叶绿素b、总叶绿素含量以及叶绿素a/b值均呈逐渐降低的趋势.研究表明,栓皮栎幼苗在短期和轻度干旱胁迫下通过提高自身的保护酶活性、增加可溶性蛋白和脯氨酸含量、提高根系活力等来抵御干旱环境的伤害,从而表现出较强的耐旱特性;而在重度干旱胁迫条件下,栓皮栎幼苗自我调节能力丧失,体内代谢紊乱,导致保护酶活性、可溶性蛋白、脯氨酸含量和根系活力等下降,从而受到干旱伤害.     

换锦花和中国石蒜对干旱胁迫的生理响应

以2种春出叶石蒜属植物中国石蒜和换锦花为材料,通过盆栽控水试验,以适宜水分(最大持水量的75%~80%)为对照,设置干旱胁迫(最大持水量的35%~40%)处理,研究干旱胁迫对其幼苗生理生化指标的影响,以明确2种植物的耐旱特性。结果显示:(1)换锦花和中国石蒜幼苗叶片相对含水量(RWC)和叶绿素a、b含量均随着干旱胁迫时间的延长而降低。(2)换锦花可溶性糖含量和脯氨酸含量均随着干旱时间的延长表现出持续增加的趋势,而中国石蒜则表现出先升高后降低的趋势。(3)换锦花和中国石蒜幼苗叶片TBARS含量和相对电导率总体上呈增大趋势,并在干旱末期达到最大值;超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)、过氧化物酶(POD)和过氧化氢酶(CAT)活性均呈现出先上升后下降趋势。(4)换锦花和中国石蒜幼苗叶片净光合速率(Pn)、胞内二氧化碳浓度(Ci)和蒸腾速率(Tr)随着干旱胁迫时间延长均有不同程度下降。研究表明,在土壤干旱胁迫条件下,换锦花和中国石蒜幼苗叶片在水分生理、光合特性、渗透调节物质和抗氧化酶活性等方面表现出一定的差异,其中换锦花较中国石蒜表现出较强的耐旱性,且具有明显的优势。     

The isolation of genes from the resurrection grass Sporobolus stapfianus which are induced during severe drought stress

A modification of the ‘cold plaque’ screening technique (Hodge et al., Plant Journal1992, 2, 257–260) was used to screen a cDNA library constructed from drought‐stressed leaf tissue of the desiccation tolerant (‘resurrection’) grass Sporobolus stapfianus. This technique allowed a large number of clones representing genes expressed at low abundance to be isolated. An examination of expression profiles revealed that several of these genes are induced in desiccation‐tolerant tissue experiencing severe drought stress. Further characterization indicated that the gene products encoded include an eIF1 protein translation initiation factor and a glycine‐ and proline‐rich protein which have not previously been associated with drought stress. In addition, genes encoding a serine/threonine phosphatase type 2C, a tonoplast‐intrinsic protein (TIP) and an early light‐inducible protein (ELIP) were isolated. A number of these genes are expressed differentially in desiccation‐tolerant and desiccation‐sensitive tissues, suggesting that they may be associated with the desiccation tolerance response of S. stapfianus. The results indicate that there may be unique gene regulation processes occurring during induction of desiccation tolerance in resurrection plants which allow different drought‐responsive genes to be selectively expressed at successive levels of water loss.     

Drought decreases incorporation of recent plant photosynthate into soil food webs regardless of their trophic complexity

Theory suggests that more complex food webs promote stability and can buffer the effects of perturbations, such as drought, on soil organisms and ecosystem functions. Here, we tested experimentally how soil food web trophic complexity modulates the response to drought of soil functions related to carbon cycling and the capture and transfer below‐ground of recent photosynthate by plants. We constructed experimental systems comprising soil communities with one, two or three trophic levels (microorganisms, detritivores and predators) and subjected them to drought. We investigated how food web trophic complexity in interaction with drought influenced litter decomposition, soil CO₂ efflux, mycorrhizal colonization, fungal production, microbial communities and soil fauna biomass. Plants were pulse‐labelled after the drought with ¹³C‐CO₂ to quantify the capture of recent photosynthate and its transfer below‐ground. Overall, our results show that drought and soil food web trophic complexity do not interact to affect soil functions and microbial community composition, but act independently, with an overall stronger effect of drought. After drought, the net uptake of ¹³C by plants was reduced and its retention in plant biomass was greater, leading to a strong decrease in carbon transfer below‐ground. Although food web trophic complexity influenced the biomass of Collembola and fungal hyphal length, ¹³C enrichment and the net transfer of carbon from plant shoots to microbes and soil CO₂ efflux were not affected significantly by varying the number of trophic groups. Our results indicate that drought has a strong effect on above‐ground–below‐ground linkages by reducing the flow of recent photosynthate. Our results emphasize the sensitivity of the critical pathway of recent photosynthate transfer from plants to soil organisms to a drought perturbation, and show that these effects may not be mitigated by the trophic complexity of soil communities, at least at the level manipulated in this experiment.     

Effect of plant growth promoting <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pseudomonas</Emphasis> spp. on compatible solutes,antioxidant status and plant growth of maize under drought stress

Drought is one of the major abiotic stresses affecting yield of dryland crops. Rhizobacterial populations of stressed soils are adapted and tolerant to stress and can be screened for isolation of efficient stress adaptive/tolerant, plant growth promoting rhizobacterial (PGPR) strains that can be used as inoculants for crops grown in stressed ecosystems. The effect of inoculation of five drought tolerant plant growth promoting Pseudomonas spp. strains namely P. entomophila strain BV-P13, P. stutzeri strain GRFHAP-P14, P. putida strain GAP-P45, P. syringae strain GRFHYTP52, and P. monteilli strain WAPP53 on growth, osmoregulation and antioxidant status of maize seedlings under drought stress conditions was investigated. Drought stress induced by withholding irrigation had drastic effects on growth of maize seedlings. However seed bacterization of maize with Pseudomonas spp. strains improved plant biomass, relative water content, leaf water potential, root adhering soil/root tissue ratio, aggregate stability and mean weight diameter and decreased leaf water loss. The inoculated plants showed higher levels of proline, sugars, free amino acids under drought stress. However protein and starch content was reduced under drought stress conditions. Inoculation decreased electrolyte leakage compared to uninoculated seedlings under drought stress. As compared to uninoculated seedlings, inoculated seedlings showed significantly lower activities of antioxidant enzymes, ascorbate peroxidase (APX), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPX) under drought stress, indicating that inoculated seedlings felt less stress as compared to uninoculated seedlings. The strain GAP-P45 was found to be the best in terms of influencing growth and biochemical and physiological status of the seedlings under drought stress. The study reports the potential of rhizobacteria in alleviating drought stress effects in maize.     

Responses to drought stress in two poplar species originating from different altitudes

Cuttings of Populus kangdingensis and Populus cathayana, originating from high and low altitudes in the eastern Himalaya, respectively, were examined during one growing season in a greenhouse to determine their responses to drought stress (soil moisture decreased from 100 to 55 or 25 % field capacity). Compared to control plants grown under 100 % field capacity, those poplars grown under 55 and 25 % field capacity possessed lower increases in height and stem diameter, and higher contents of soluble sugars, free proline, malondialdehyde (MDA) and hydrogen peroxide, and higher activities of catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and glutathione reductase (GR). Compared with P. cathayana with greater leaf area, P. kangdingensis with greater root/shoot ratio exhibited lower MDA and H₂O₂ contents, higher soluble sugar and free proline contents, and higher activities of CAT, SOD, POD, APX and GR. These results suggested that P. kangdingensis was more drought tolerant than P. cathayana.     

Physiological acclimation of two psammophytes to repeated soil drought and rewatering

To understand physiological acclimation of psammophyte to repeated soil drought and rewatering, two psammophytes (Setaria viridis and Digitaria ciliaris) were subjected to three cycles of soil drought and rewatering. The response process of leaf relative water content (RWC), membrane permeability, lipid peroxidation, gas exchange characteristics, antioxidant enzymes, soluble protein, and free proline was examined. Leaf RWC, the net photosynthesis rate, stomatal conductance, and water use efficiency decreased, while membrane permeability, lipid peroxidation, intercellular CO₂ concentration, soluble protein, and free proline increased during three soil drought periods for both psammophytes. These physiological characteristics were recovered to the control levels following rewatering for 4 days. However, activities of SOD, CAT, and POD were induced continuously under soil drought conditions, and remained higher than those in the control throughout the whole experiment period, which agrees with our hypothesis that drought hardening activates defensive systems of both psammophytes continuously. Decreasing level of leaf RWC and increasing levels of leaf membrane permeability and lipid peroxidation were suppressed with increasing the number of drought cycles, suggesting that drought hardening alleviates damages of both psammophytes and improves their drought tolerance and acclimation to soil drought conditions in the future. Additionally, the photosynthesis decreased more slowly in the subsequent drought cycles than in the first cycle, allowing both psammophytes to maximize assimilation in response to repeated soil drought conditions. Thus, both psammophytes acclimatize themselves to repeated soil drought.     

珍稀濒危植物堇叶紫金牛对持续干旱的生理响应

采用盆栽控水法,研究了珍稀濒危植物堇叶紫金牛(Ardisia violacea)在持续干旱条件下的生理响应。随着持续干旱时间的延长,堇叶紫金牛应对持续干旱的阶段可分为适应期、轻度干旱期、中度干旱期和重度干旱期。在适应期和轻度干旱期,堇叶紫金牛叶片游离脯氨酸和可溶性糖含量稳定在一个较低水平,可溶性蛋白质含量先下降后快速上升,细胞膜系统和抗氧化酶系统能主动进行生理调节;中度干旱期,丙二醛(MDA)含量和质膜相对透性迅速升高,细胞膜系统受损加剧,游离脯氨酸、可溶性糖含量均急剧增加,对抵御干旱起到重要的渗透调节作用。在轻度干旱期和中度干旱期,光合色素中叶绿素a和叶绿素b含量显著提高,以抵抗干旱胁迫。重度干旱期,细胞膜系统、抗氧化酶SOD、游离脯氨酸和可溶性糖含量上升,但MDA略微下降,这时可能达到植物耐受干旱的极限,不再发生膜脂过氧化作用。综上表明,堇叶紫金牛具有较强的耐旱性,RWC为49.94%是细胞膜系统、抗氧化酶系统和渗透调节物质含量变化的拐点,渗透调节和抗氧化酶系统的主动适应是其耐旱的主要机制。     

Host specificity of two pollinating seed‐consuming fly species is not related to soil moisture of host plant in the high Himalayas

Studying the drivers of host specificity can contribute to our understanding of the origin and evolution of obligate pollination mutualisms. The preference–performance hypothesis predicts that host plant choice of female insects is related mainly to the performance of their offspring. Soil moisture is thought to be particularly important for the survival of larvae and pupae that inhabit soil. In the high Himalayas, Rheum nobile and R. alexandrae differ in their distribution in terms of soil moisture; that is, R. nobile typically occurs in scree with well‐drained soils, R. alexandrae in wetlands. The two plant species are pollinated by their respective mutualistic seed‐consuming flies, Bradysia sp1. and Bradysia sp2. We investigated whether soil moisture is important for regulating host specificity by comparing pupation and adult emergence of the two fly species using field and laboratory experiments. Laboratory experiments revealed soil moisture did have significant effects on larval and pupal performances in both fly species, but the two fly species had similar optimal soil moisture requirements for pupation and adult emergence. Moreover, a field reciprocal transfer experiment showed that there was no significant difference in adult emergence for both fly species between their native and non‐native habitats. Nevertheless, Bradysia sp1., associated with R. nobile, was more tolerant to drought stress, while Bradysia sp2., associated with R. alexandrae, was more tolerant to flooding stress. These results indicate that soil moisture is unlikely to play a determining role in regulating host specificity of the two fly species. However, their pupation and adult emergence in response to extremely wet or dry soils are habitat‐specific.     

Antioxidative response in different sorghum species under short-term salinity stress

Seedlings of sorghum varieties (M35-1, a drought tolerant species; SPV-839, a drought sensitive one) differing in their drought tolerance were subjected to 150 mM NaCl stress for a short duration of time (up to 72 h). Both the varieties failed to exhibit efficient ion exclusion mechanism like that of salt tolerant species, but in turn resulted in higher accumulation of Na⁺ and Cl⁻ ions over a period of 72 h salt stress. In addition, accumulation of calcium, potassium and proline in seedlings of sorghum varieties was moderate to short-term NaCl stress. The modulation of antioxidant components significantly diverged between the two varieties during seed germination, further the efficiency of antioxidant scavenging system is maintained during short-term NaCl treatments. In comparison to tolerant variety, the sensitive variety depicted higher SOD activity under control and salinity treatments but specific activity of catalase was significantly reduced. In contrast, drought tolerant variety exhibited efficient hydrogen peroxide scavenging mechanisms with higher catalase and GST activities under control and salt stress conditions, but not in the sensitive one. In conclusion, our comparative studies indicate that drought tolerant and susceptible varieties of sorghum induce efficient differential oxidative components of enzymatic machinery for scavenging ROS thereby alleviating the oxidative stress generated by salt stress during seedling growth.     

榄仁树的生理和生物学特性

为了解榄仁树(Terminalia catappa)的生理生态特性,对西沙群岛永兴岛上自然生长的榄仁树的叶片形态、生理特征、营养元素含量以及根际土壤特征进行了研究。结果表明,榄仁树具有比叶面积低、叶片厚、气孔密度小等形态特征。叶绿素a/b为2.25∶1,低于理论值3∶1。叶片的SOD和POD活性较低,脯氨酸和ABA含量较高。植物体内养分含量较高,适生土壤养分含量低。这说明榄仁树叶片的吸收利用光能能力较强,保水能力较好,有较强的抗干旱和抗逆能力,适生于贫瘠的土壤并保持较高的叶片营养。因此,榄仁树是一种能够适应高温、干旱、贫瘠等恶劣生境条件的树种,可作为热带珊瑚岛植被恢复的工具种和园林绿化树种。     

Contribution of trehalose biosynthetic pathway to drought stress tolerance of Capparis ovata Desf

Trehalose and the trehalose biosynthetic pathway are important contributors and regulators of stress responses in plants. Among recent findings for trehalose and its metabolism, the role of signalling in the regulation of growth and development and its potential for use as a storage energy source can be listed. The xerophytic plant Capparis ovata (caper) is well adapted to drought and high temperature stress in arid and semi‐arid regions of the Mediterranean. The contribution of trehalose and the trehalose biosynthetic pathway to drought stress responses and tolerance in C. ovata are not known. We investigated the effects of PEG‐mediated drought stress in caper plants and analysed physiological parameters and trehalose biosynthetic pathway components, trehalose‐6‐phosphate synthase (TPS), trehalose‐6‐phosphate phosphatase (TPP), trehalase activity, trehalose and proline content in drought stress‐treated and untreated plants. Our results indicated that trehalose and the trehalose biosynthetic pathway contributed to drought stress tolerance of C. ovata. Overall growth and leaf water status were not dramatically affected by drought, as both high relative growth rate and relative water content were recorded even after 14 days of drought stress. Trehalose accumulation increased in parallel to induced TPS and TPP activities and decreased trehalase activity in caper plants on day 14. Constitutive trehalose levels were 28.75 to 74.75 μg·g·FW^?1, and drought stress significantly induced trehalose accumulation (385.25 μg·g·FW^?1 on day 14) in leaves of caper. On day 14 of drought, proline levels were lower than on day 7. Under drought stress the discrepancy between trehalose and proline accumulation trends might result from the mode of action of these osmoprotectant molecules in C. ovata.     

Seed biopriming with drought tolerant isolates of Trichoderma harzianum promote growth and drought tolerance in Triticum aestivum

Green house study was aimed to investigate the effect of seed biopriming with drought tolerant isolates of Trichoderma harzianum, viz. Th 56, 69, 75, 82 and 89 on growth of wheat under drought stress and to explore the mechanism underlying plant water stress resilience in response to Trichoderma inoculation. Measurements of relative water content, osmotic potential, osmotic adjustment, leaf gas exchange, chlorophyll fluorescence and membrane stability index were performed. In addition, analysis of the phenolics, proline, lipid peroxidation and measurements of phenylalanine ammonia‐lyase activity were carried out. Seed biopriming enhanced drought tolerance of wheat as drought induced changes like stomatal conductance, net photosynthesis and chlorophyll fluorescence were delayed. Drought stress from 4 to 13 days of withholding water induced an increase in the concentration of stress induced metabolites in leaves, while Trichoderma colonisation caused decrease in proline, malondialdehyde (MDA) and hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), and an increase in total phenolics. A common factor that negatively affects plants under drought stress conditions is accumulation of toxic reactive oxygen species (ROS), and we tested the hypothesis that seed biopriming reduced damages resulting from accumulation of ROS in stressed plants. The enhanced redox state of colonised plants could be explained by higher l ‐phenylalanine ammonia‐lyase (PAL) activity in leaves after 13 days of drought stress in Trichoderma treated plants. Similar activity was induced in untreated plants in response to drought stress but to a lower extent in comparison to treated plants. Our results support the hypothesis that seed biopriming in wheat with drought tolerant T. harzianum strains increased root vigour besides performing the process of osmoregulation. It ameliorates drought stress by inducing physiological protection in plants against oxidative damage, due to enhanced capacity to scavenge ROS and increased level of PAL, a mechanism that is expected to augment tolerance to abiotic stresses.     

UPLC‐HRMS‐based untargeted metabolic profiling reveals changes in chickpea (Cicer arietinum) metabolome following long‐term drought stress

Genetic improvement for drought tolerance in chickpea requires a solid understanding of biochemical processes involved with different physiological mechanisms. The objective of this study is to demonstrate genetic variations in altered metabolic levels in chickpea varieties (tolerant and sensitive) grown under contrasting water regimes through ultrahigh‐performance liquid chromatography/high‐resolution mass spectrometry‐based untargeted metabolomic profiling. Chickpea plants were exposed to drought stress at the 3‐leaf stage for 25 days, and the leaves were harvested at 14 and 25 days after the imposition of drought stress. Stress produced significant reduction in chlorophyll content, F_v/F_m, relative water content, and shoot and root dry weight. Twenty known metabolites were identified as most important by 2 different methods including significant analysis of metabolites and partial least squares discriminant analysis. The most pronounced increase in accumulation due to drought stress was demonstrated for allantoin, l ‐proline, l ‐arginine, l ‐histidine, l ‐isoleucine, and tryptophan. Metabolites that showed a decreased level of accumulation under drought conditions were choline, phenylalanine, gamma‐aminobutyric acid, alanine, phenylalanine, tyrosine, glucosamine, guanine, and aspartic acid. Aminoacyl‐tRNA and plant secondary metabolite biosynthesis and amino acid metabolism or synthesis pathways were involved in producing genetic variation under drought conditions. Metabolic changes in light of drought conditions highlighted pools of metabolites that affect the metabolic and physiological adjustment in chickpea that reduced drought impacts.