One of the main abiotic limitations in tropical agroforestry and nursery production systems is water stress or drought. The purpose of this study is to assess how Gmelina arboreaandJatropha curcas a fast-growing agroforestry tree species reacts to various watering schedules in nursery settings. To evaluate its resistance to water deficit,germination, important physiological and growth parameters are assessed. The findings suggestthe correlation patterns confirm the significant impact of water deficiency on physiological integrity. Under stressful circumstances, leaf necrosis significantly increased.The model explained 91.7% of the growth rate variance (p < 0.0001), and stressed seedlings showed reduced elongation and biomass accumulation. Collar diameter is significantly impacted by a lack of water. Its variability was explained by stress level (p < 0.0001) with 98.8%, suggesting a considerable reduction in stem thickening under situations of high stress.Additionally, there was a substantial correlation between stay-green and plant height, indicating that chlorophyll retention promotes seedling growth.The results guide the choice of species for plantations in water-limiting locations and nursery hardening.