Improving the resistance of crops to combined climatic stresses

The Ecophysiology and Biotechnology Group of the Jaume I University of Castellón has studied the essential mechanisms to obtain plants of agronomic interest with greater capacity to face high temperatures, high solar irradiation, drought or pollution.

A study carried out by the group has laid the foundations for achieving crops that are more resistant to combined climatic stresses. The conclusions of this study have recently been published in the journal Physiologia Plantarum.The recent studies show that an increase in the concentration and an early response of the abscisic acid and jasmonic acid hormones, the induction of certain families of genes and the accumulation of proteins that protect against high temperatures such as the Heat Shock Proteins (HSPs), can be decisive factors to determine the success of the plants to tolerate adverse environmental situations in hot climates.

The authors of the study say that climate change is a severe threat for global agricultural production. An increase in the average temperature of the planet, along with a higher frequency of extreme climatic phenomena and the loss of agricultural land will compromise the production of food in the near future. "In light of this possible scenario, developing new crop varieties that can acclimatize to these environmental changes which often affect plants is essential, thus being able to increase future agricultural production and ensure the food supply for the global population," they conclude.

More information: Damián Balfagón et al. High temperatures modify plant responses to abiotic stress conditions, Physiologia Plantarum (2020). DOI: 10.1111/ppl.13151
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