Abscisic Acid Signaling in Plant Water Regulation and Relations
Summary
Abscisic acid (ABA) is a central phytohormone mediating plant responses to water availability. In dehydrating conditions, rising ABA levels trigger guard cell ion fluxes that reduce stomatal pore aperture, thereby limiting transpiration and conserving water. This dual active and passive control of stomatal closure integrates hydraulic signals and de novo ABA biosynthesis, enabling plants to adapt to fluctuating soil moisture, atmospheric demand and drought stress. Emerging evidence reveals lineage-specific variation in ABA sensitivity and synthesis timing, reflecting evolutionary adaptations in both non-flowering and angiosperm taxa. These mechanisms underpin key agricultural traits such as water-use efficiency and drought resilience, bearing global significance in the context of climate change and crop security.
Research from Nature Portfolio
Studies in grapevine have dissected the relative contributions of hydraulic versus hormonal control in stomatal regulation under drought. First stomatal closure was shown to arise predominantly through reductions in xylem water potential, while foliar ABA accumulation followed to maintain long-term stomatal down-regulation. Rewatering failed to reopen stomata once ABA had peaked, indicating a persistent hormonal restraint that supports embolism repair and water-saving during subsequent stress cycles. This work provides a model for active–passive interplay in field-relevant, perennial species.
Abscisic Acid Signaling in Plant Water Regulation and Relations publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in abscisic acid signaling in plant water regulation and relations across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Abscisic acid (ABA): A plant hormone that induces stomatal closure under water stress.
Stomata: Microscopic pores on the leaf surface controlling gas exchange and water loss.
Guard cells: Pairs of specialised cells that regulate the opening and closing of stomata.
Turgor pressure: The pressure of the cell contents against the cell wall, determining cell rigidity.
Hydraulic signal: Physical changes in water potential transmitted through the plant vascular system.
Vapour pressure deficit (VPD): The difference between leaf internal and atmospheric moisture pressure.
Passive hydraulic regulation: Stomatal response driven by changes in leaf water status rather than hormones.
Anion channel (SLAC/SLAH): A membrane protein family facilitating ion efflux during ABA-mediated closure.
References
- Gaining or cutting SLAC: the evolution of plant guard cell signalling pathways. New Phytologist (2024).
- Stomatal evolution and plant adaptation to future climate. Plant Cell & Environment (2024).
- Wind speed affects the rate and kinetics of stomatal conductance. The Plant Journal (2024).
- Stomatal closure is induced by hydraulic signals and maintained by ABA in drought-stressed grapevine. Scientific Reports (2015).
- Separating Active and Passive Influences on Stomatal Control of Transpiration. Plant Physiology (2014).
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