Plant acclimation to environmental stress using priming agents

Abstract

Abiotic stress factors represent key elements limiting agricultural productivity worldwide. Increased frequency of extreme environmental events resulting from global climatic changes remarkably influences plant growth and development. Close examination of plant-to-plant communication in nature has revealed the development of unique strategies from plants for responding to abiotic stress, with one of the most interesting being through priming for improved defense responses. The process of priming involves prior exposure to a biotic or abiotic stress factor making a plant more resistant to future exposure. Although the phenomenon has been known for many years, it has only recently been suggested that priming can enhance the resistance of crops to environmental stresses in the field. Priming can also be achieved by applying natural or synthetic compounds which act as signaling transducers, “activating” the plant's defense system. In this chapter, an up-to-date overview of the literature is presented in terms of some of the main priming agents commonly employed toward induced acclimation of plants to environmental challenges.