Plant Growth Regulation Under Abiotic Stress
Summary
Abiotic stress encompasses non-living factors such as drought, salinity, extreme temperatures and nutrient deficiency that constrain plant growth and yield. In response, plants deploy sophisticated regulatory networks to maintain development and optimise resource allocation. Central to these adaptive processes are phytohormones and signalling metabolites that coordinate gene expression, protein activity and metabolic fluxes. Abscisic acid acts as a master regulator of water-deficit responses, inducing stomatal closure and activating antioxidant defences to mitigate oxidative damage. Tetrapyrrole precursors such as 5-aminolevulinic acid influence chlorophyll biosynthesis and redox homeostasis, thereby sustaining photosynthetic performance under stress. Interactions among secondary messengers—including calcium ions, reactive oxygen species and flavonols—fine-tune stomatal aperture, nutrient uptake and cellular metabolism. Advances in genomics and metabolomics have identified stress-responsive transcription factors, kinases and transporters that refine growth regulation. Translational applications range from foliar treatments to genetic enhancement of key signalling nodes, offering strategies to bolster crop resilience and support sustainable agriculture in a changing climate.
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Plant Growth Regulation Under Abiotic Stress publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in plant growth regulation under abiotic stress across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Abiotic stress: Environmental conditions such as drought, salinity or temperature extremes that hinder plant growth.
Abscisic acid (ABA): A phytohormone central to stress signalling, regulating stomatal closure and stress-responsive gene expression.
5-Aminolevulinic acid (ALA): A precursor in tetrapyrrole biosynthesis that supports chlorophyll production and redox balance under stress.
Stomatal aperture: The size of the opening in stomata on leaf surfaces, controlling gas exchange and transpiration.
Reactive oxygen species (ROS): Reactive molecules generated under stress that can cause cellular damage or act as signalling entities.
Photochemical efficiency: The effectiveness of photosystem II in converting light energy into chemical energy during photosynthesis.
Protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A): A phosphatase complex that removes phosphate groups from proteins, modulating their function.
SnRK2.6: A sucrose non-fermenting 1-related protein kinase activated by ABA to trigger stomatal closure.
Flavonols: Flavonoid compounds that scavenge ROS in guard cells and influence cell signalling under stress.
References
- ALA reverses ABA-induced stomatal closure by modulating PP2AC and SnRK2.6 activity in apple leaves. Horticulture Research (2023).
- Crosstalk between 5-Aminolevulinic Acid and Abscisic Acid Adjusted Leaf Iron Accumulation and Chlorophyll Synthesis to Enhance the Cold Tolerance in Solanum lycopersicum Seedlings. International Journal of Molecular Sciences (2023).
- 5-Aminolevulinic Acid (ALA) Alleviated Salinity Stress in Cucumber Seedlings by Enhancing Chlorophyll Synthesis Pathway. Frontiers in Plant Science (2018).
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