Seven plant capacities to adapt to abiotic stress

This review presents seven inherent plant capacities that are essential for reproductive success during the stresses of drought, salinity, flooding, temperature extremes, and nutrient stress. Abiotic stresses such as drought and heat continue to impact crop production in a warming world. This review distinguishes seven inherent capacities that enable plants to respond to abiotic stresses and continue growing, although at a reduced rate, to achieve a productive yield. These are the capacities to selectively take up essential resources, store them and supply them to different plant parts, generate the energy required for cellular functions, conduct repairs to maintain plant tissues, communicate between plant parts, manage existing structural assets in the face of changed circumstances, and shape-shift through development to be efficient in different environments. By illustration, we show how all seven plant capacities are important for reproductive success of major crop species during drought, salinity, temperature extremes, flooding, and nutrient stress. Confusion about the term 'oxidative stress' is explained. This allows us to focus on the strategies that enhance plant adaptation by identifying key responses that can be targets for plant breeding.

Automated summary

This review discusses the seven inherent plant capacities necessary for reproductive success under abiotic stresses, such as drought, salinity, flooding, temperature extremes, and nutrient stress. These capacities enable plants to continue growing and achieve productive yields in spite of reduced rates. The review highlights the importance of these capacities in major crop species' reproductive success under various stress conditions and provides clarity on the term "oxidative stress," allowing for the identification of key responses that can be targeted for plant breeding.