Biochemical and molecular mechanisms of abiotic stress tolerance

Abstract

Changes in the climate have dramatically increased the incidence of abiotic stress in plants, thus limiting their optimum growth, production, and metabolism. Plants have numerous adaptive tolerance or resistant mechanisms to acclimatize with the changes in the environment like drought, salinity, heat, flood, cold/freeze, ultraviolet (UV), and heavy metal stress. Plant adaptation to stress is strictly attributed to a paragon of biochemical and molecular crossroads. Moreover, it mainly relies on molecular stress signaling network involving stress perception, signal transduction, modulation of stress-related gene expression, and change in the metabolite profile. Adaptive stress tolerance mechanisms involve adjustment of hormonal balance, synthesis of stress proteins, activation of antioxidant defense mechanism, reconfiguration of the metabolite accumulation, and restructuring of cellular membrane. Apart from innate adaptive responses, several advance strategies including breeding and bioengineering are being used to combat abiotic stresses in the plants. In the given chapter, plant molecular and biochemical responses have been reviewed and discussed with respect to various crop plants to impart better understanding of tolerance mechanisms under abiotic stress.