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Drought can cause damage to horticultural crops in many tropical and arid countries, and new technologies should be evaluated as a perspective to increase agronomical production. Beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is an important worldwide-cultivated plant with a high demand for water in the initial development. Based on the aforementioned, this study evaluated the salicylic acid (SA) effect in the initial development of beans under water stress conditions, as a perspective to drought regions. Beans seeds were treated with five SA doses (0, 0.01, 0.1, 1, and 10 mM), and then, submitted normal and stressed water regimes. Based on the results obtained, total root (fresh and dry weight) and shoot (fresh weight) presented a significant SA dose-effect, with an increase in the 10 mM dose. For root length, the interaction of SA dose and water stress was obtained. SA doses higher than 0.1 mM increased the root length in regular watering conditions, and the opposite fact was observed for doses smaller than 0.1 mM. The antioxidant activity in the shoot also presented an interaction effect, however, did not present results associated with the performance of the agronomical characteristics. Overall, based on the agronomical and antioxidant results obtained, the seeds treatment with 10 mM of SA can be considered as a promising technique to upgrade the initial development of beans, which can be an alternative to increase the weight of the beans in drought regions. • The interaction between salicylic acid and water stress was evaluated in beans. • Salicylic acid contributed to increase the total fresh mass. • The water stress increased chlorophyll concentration. • The water stress promoted changes in the length of the main pivot root. • Salicylic acid increased plant weight under water stress conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]