Calcium-Mediated Stress Tolerance in Plant Systems
Summary
Calcium ions occupy a central role in plant adaptive responses to a broad spectrum of abiotic stresses, including salinity, drought, temperature extremes and hypoxia. Acting as both structural elements in cell walls and dynamic second messengers in cytosolic signalling, Ca2+ orchestrates rapid and long-term adjustments in metabolism, gene expression and ion homeostasis. Stress perception triggers transient elevations in cytosolic Ca2+ concentration, which are decoded by calcium-binding sensor proteins such as calmodulins and calcineurin B-like proteins. These sensors activate downstream components including kinases, ion channels and transcription factors, thereby modulating antioxidant defence networks, osmotic regulation and photosynthetic efficiency. Exogenous calcium supplementation or foliar application enhances membrane stability, maintains stomatal function and optimises nutrient uptake under adverse conditions. Recent advances have elucidated the interplay between calcium signalling and reactive oxygen species, revealing bidirectional feedback loops that finely tune redox homeostasis. Moreover, nano-formulations of calcium compounds demonstrate promising potential to deliver sustained Ca2+ release and to mitigate salinity stress more effectively than conventional fertilisers. Together, these insights underscore the global significance of calcium-mediated strategies for safeguarding crop productivity and for developing sustainable management practices in a changing climate.
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Calcium-Mediated Stress Tolerance in Plant Systems publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in calcium-mediated stress tolerance in plant systems across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Reactive oxygen species (ROS): Partially reduced oxygen derivatives that act as signalling molecules at low levels but can cause cellular damage if over-accumulated.
Calmodulin (CaM): A ubiquitous calcium-binding protein that transduces cytosolic Ca2+ signals by interacting with target enzymes and channels.
Ascorbate–glutathione (AsA–GSH) cycle: A key antioxidant pathway that regenerates ascorbate and glutathione to detoxify hydrogen peroxide.
Osmolytes: Small organic compounds such as proline and soluble sugars that accumulate to maintain cell turgour under osmotic stress.
Nanofertilisers: Nutrient formulations at the nanoscale designed to enhance efficiency and controlled release of essential ions like Ca2+.
References
- Exogenous Calcium Alleviates Oxidative Stress Caused by Salt Stress in Peanut Seedling Roots by Regulating the Antioxidant Enzyme System and Flavonoid Biosynthesis. Antioxidants (2024).
- Exogenous Calcium Reinforces Photosynthetic Pigment Content and Osmolyte, Enzymatic, and Non-Enzymatic Antioxidants Abundance and Alleviates Salt Stress in Bread Wheat. Plants (2023).
- Mitigation of Salinity Stress Effects on Broad Bean Productivity Using Calcium Phosphate Nanoparticles Application. Horticulturae (2022).
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