## 2 Materials and Methods
### Experimental Design  
Seed vernalization was initially performed by immersing the seeds in 20 mL of sterile distilled water, followed by a 48 h incubation period at 4 \({}^{\circ}\)C in the dark. Subsequently, the seeds were sown in multi-pots (40 pots, each with a 2.5 cm diameter) and maintained under controlled temperature conditions. Upon germination, the seedlings were transplanted into larger pots (20 cm \(\times\) 20 cm \(\times\) 15 cm) and placed outdoors under natural environmental conditions. The experimental design, a three-factorial pot experiment incorporating three binary factors, was conducted to examine the cultivation of selected species under varying environmental and agronomic conditions (Table 1). The study was performed under controlled conditions, utilizing eight distinct combinations of factors, resulting in eight possible cultivation protocols (2\({}^{3}\) combinations). Each factor was assigned a binary value, with (1) representing the maximum level and (0) representing the minimum level. Each treatment combination was replicated five times. The study evaluated the effects of drought stress by comparing full irrigation at field capacity (1) with irrigation at 40% relative soil moisture (0) representing no stress and severe stress conditions, respectively. Furthermore, the influence of inorganic fertilizers, specifically P\({}_{2}\)O\({}_{5}\) and K\({}_{2}\)O, was assessed, with treatments applying either minimum or maximum quantities. In addition, the contribution of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) is regarded as a key anti-stress factor, playing a crucial role in mitigating environmental stresses and enhancing plant resilience. The cultivation medium consisted of an organic substrate with a pH of 5.5 and nitrogen fertilization at 180 mg N/L. Each treatment combination was tested with five plant pot replications, each containing 0.78 dm\({}^{3}\) of substrate.  
Agronomical Factors  
Drought stress was applied before and during early flowering stage. Soil moisture was measured every day by an electronic depth probe (Aicevoos Digital Soil Tester, Aicevoos, Wuhan, China). Samples treated with water stress were maintained for 5 weeks at 40% of relative soil moisture. For convenience, the relative soil moisture value was correlated with the field capacity through the method of pot weighing and measuring with the probe in the soil. Full soil water capacity was considered at around 70% moisture value.  
A lower-nutrient soil was used for the experiment and leaves fertilization with phosphorus pentoxide (P\({}_{2}\)O\({}_{5}\)) and potassium oxide (K\({}_{2}\)O) was carried out three times, the first after 44 days after sowing, the second after 69 days, and the third after 78 days. To prepare the fertilizer solution, 2.5 g of product (bottos-Pregade 30-20) was weighed and diluted in 2 L of water, and this solution was distributed by a pressure sprayer onto the leaves of the plants grown in accordance with the protocol that included the presence of the fertilizer.  
The plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) utilized in the experiment was a commercial product containing a mixture of endomycorrhizal bacteria and fungi, including _Bacillus_ spp., _Streptomyces_ spp., and _Pseudomonas_ spp. (with a rhizosphere bacterial content of 1.6 \(\times\) 10\({}^{8}\) CFU/g), and Trichoderma spp. (with a mycorrhizal fungal content of 5 \(\times\) 10\({}^{5}\) CFU/g). The product was inoculated into the growing substrate at a rate of 10 g per 100 seedlings. The first application was made immediately after transplanting (30 days after sowing), and the second application was performed 20 days later.