Abiotic stress responses in plants

Plants cannot move, so they must endure abiotic stresses such as drought, salinity and extreme temperatures. These stressors greatly limit the distribution of plants, alter their growth and development, and reduce crop productivity. Recent progress in our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying the responses of plants to abiotic stresses emphasizes their multilevel nature; multiple processes are involved, including sensing, signalling, transcription, transcript processing, translation and post-translational protein modifications. This improved knowledge can be used to boost crop productivity and agricultural sustainability through genetic, chemical and microbial approaches. In this Review, Zhang et al. summarize our current understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying the responses of plants to abiotic stresses, and how this knowledge can be used to improve crop resilience through genetic, chemical and microbial approaches.

Automated summary

Plants face abiotic stresses like drought, salinity, and extreme temperatures, which greatly impact their distribution, growth, and crop productivity. Recent research has revealed the complex molecular mechanisms involved in plants' responses to these stresses, including sensing, signaling, transcription, translation, and post-translational modifications. This knowledge can be utilized to enhance crop resilience and sustainability through genetic, chemical, and microbial approaches.