Use of essential oil nanoemulsions to mitigate water stress and promote growth in soybean

• Grant number: 25/02781-7
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: September 01, 2025
• End date: August 31, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Agronomy
• Principal Investigator: Ana Cláudia Pacheco Santos
• Grantee: Ana Clara Padovan Ligabô
• Host Institution: Pró-Reitoria de Pesquisa e Pós-Graduação. Universidade do Oeste Paulista (UNOESTE). Presidente Prudente , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Plant essential oils (EOs) have been studied for their different biological activities in plants, such as fungicide, herbicide and insecticide. For this reason, EOs are considered natural substances of great interest for the agricultural bioinputs industry. Recently, some studies have shown that EOs can act as biostimulants in plants, an effect characterized by stress mitigation and growth promotion. Research on the use of essential oils for abiotic stress mitigation in soybean is still scarce. The aim of this study is evaluate the effects of the application of peppermint (Mentha piperita) - EO1 and rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus) - EO2 essential oils in soybean plants grown under water stress conditions in a greenhouse. Both EOs will be tested at a concentration of 1%, through foliar spraying. The experimental design will be completely randomized, with six treatments and eight replications, in a 3 x 2 factorial scheme (no EO application, EO1 application and EO2 application, in the absence or presence of water stress). The biostimulant effect on plants will be evaluated through biometric, physiological, biochemical and production parameters. With the results, we aim to understand how peppermint and rosemary EOs act on plant metabolism. The results of this study will provide support for the adoption of EOs as a natural raw material for the production of biostimulants, in a context of technological innovation and sustainable agriculture.