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Research paper

Effect of cyclic 3-hydroxymelatonin (3-OHM) on pepper seedling emergence under drought conditions

DOI: https://doi.org/10.24326.asphc.2026.5575
Submitted: 24 July 2025
Published: 06.05.2026

Abstract

Cyclic 3-hydroxymelatonin (3-OHM), a significant metabolite derived from melatonin (MEL) through its interaction with oxygen-containing compounds, is believed to play a crucial role in enhancing plant resistance to various abiotic stresses. Despite its importance, research on 3-OHM remains limited. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effects of exogenous 3-OHM treatments on the drought stress tolerance of pepper seedlings during the emergence phase. The application of 3-OHM to seeds at various concentrations (0, 10, 50, and 100 µM) notably improved seedling emergence performance under drought conditions compared to untreated controls. Furthermore, 3-OHM treatments significantly reduced oxidative stress markers such as hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), while simultaneously enhancing the activities of key antioxidant enzymes including peroxidase (POD), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT). Additionally, seedling proline and total chlorophyll contents increased significantly by 3-OHM application. Among the concentrations tested, 50 µM 3-OHM consistently showed the most pronounced beneficial effects across multiple parameters. These results underscore the potential utility of 3-OHM as a natural bioactive compound to mitigate the detrimental impacts of abiotic stress in agricultural crops. To further elucidate the physiological mechanisms and confirm the efficacy of 3-OHM, future studies should focus on comparative analyses with MEL, employing the optimal 3-OHM concentration identified herein.

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