Abstract

Drought stress is a significant environmental challenge that reduces banana productivity by inducing morphological and physiological changes. Understanding these responses at a molecular level is essential but remains limited. This study analysed the transcriptomic responses of banana (Musa acuminata L. cv. Barangan Merah) plantlets to drought stress, focusing on morphogenesis and organ development. In vitro cultures were treated with polyethylene glycol (PEG) at 2.5, 7.5 and 10% concentrations to simulate drought conditions. Transcriptomic profiling was conducted using DAVID and DESeq2, with qPCR validation for selected genes, including MaSOB3, MaPAT1, MaPIN6 and MaARF10. These genes exhibited dynamic expression changes, reflecting the plant's molecular adjustments to drought stress. Photomorphogenesis-related genes were primarily affected under low and moderate stress, while growth-related genes showed significant changes under severe stress. For example, MaSOB3 was upregulated under mild stress but downregulated as stress intensified. MaARF10 showed increased expression under higher PEG concentrations, highlighting its role in auxin-mediated responses. Comparative analysis between RNA-seq and qPCR confirmed these findings, despite minor technical discrepancies. This study advances the understanding of drought-responsive genes in bananas, offering potential targets for developing drought-tolerant cultivars through genetic engineering or breeding. It also underscores the importance of molecular approaches in addressing climate-induced challenges in agriculture.