The physiology of plant responses to drought

Drought alone causes more annual loss in crop yield than all pathogens combined. To adapt to moisture gradients in soil, plants alter their physiology, modify root growth and architecture, and close stomata on their aboveground segments. These tissue-specific responses modify the flux of cellular si...

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Bibliographic Details
Authors: Gupta, Aditi|||0000-0002-3299-1625, Rico Medina, Andrés|||0000-0003-1038-416X, Caño Delgado, Ana I.|||0000-0002-8071-6724
Format: article
Publication Date:2020
Country:España
Institution:Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
Repository:Dipòsit Digital de Documents de la UAB
Language:English
OAI Identifier:oai:ddd.uab.cat:221568
Online Access:https://ddd.uab.cat/record/221568
https://dx.doi.org/urn:doi:10.1126/science.aaz7614
Access Level:Open access
Keyword:Drought
Abiotic stress
Signaling
Root
Hydrotropism
Stomata
Water use efficiency
Climate change
Food security
Arabidopsis
Cereals
Sorghum
Crops
Description
Summary:Drought alone causes more annual loss in crop yield than all pathogens combined. To adapt to moisture gradients in soil, plants alter their physiology, modify root growth and architecture, and close stomata on their aboveground segments. These tissue-specific responses modify the flux of cellular signals, resulting in early flowering or stunted growth and, often, reduced yield. Physiological and molecular analyses of the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana have identified phytohormone signaling as key for regulating the response to drought or water insufficiency. Here we discuss how engineering hormone signaling in specific cells and cellular domains can facilitate improved plant responses to drought. We explore current knowledge and future questions central to the quest to produce high-yield, drought-resistant crops.