Active and adaptive plasticity in a changing climate

Better understanding of the mechanistic basis of plant plasticity will enhance efforts to breed crops resilient to predicted climate change. However, complexity in plasticity's conceptualisation and measurement may hinder fruitful crossover of concepts between disciplines that would enable such advances. We argue active adaptive plasticity is particularly important in shaping the fitness of wild plants, representing the first line of a plant's defence to environmental change. Here, we define how this concept may be applied to crop breeding, suggest appropriate approaches to measure it in crops, and propose a refocussing on active adaptive plasticity to enhance crop resilience. We also discuss how the same concept may have wider utility, such as in ex situ plant conservation and reintroductions.

Automated summary

A better understanding of plant plasticity is crucial for breeding climate-resilient crops. However, the complexity of conceptualization and measurement of plasticity may hinder interdisciplinary knowledge exchange. This study highlights the importance of active adaptive plasticity in shaping the fitness of wild plants and proposes its application in crop breeding to enhance resilience. The concept also has potential utility in ex situ plant conservation and reintroductions.