Modification of starch content and its management strategies in plants in response to drought and salinity: current status and future prospects

Starch is a type of carbohydrate commonly stored in plants and is one of the primary sources of energy in food for human beings. Starch comprises a combination of amylose and amylopectin. Cereal (rice, wheat, and maize) and tuber crop (potatoes and cassava) species are the major sources of starch worldwide. However, drought and salinity can substantially impact the starch content of economically important crop species. The effects of salinity and drought on starch accumulation in economically important cereal crop species have not been updated recently. Therefore, current knowledge about how abiotic stress affects starch is crucial for ensuring global food security. According to the literature, we found that the general concept of which starch contents decrease in response to drought and salinity does not always occur in plants. Starch components can increase in abundance even in the presence of abiotic stress. Based on previous studies, it is clear that drought and salinity alter starch contents. However, the degree of these alterations depends on the kind of plant, length of exposure to stress, and type of environmental factor. This review focuses on the starch synthesis, on the effects of drought and salinity on starch composition, and on the prospects of several molecular strategies for starch enhancement or homeostasis in plants. This study further updates the prospects of improving starch contents by the use of CRISPR/Cas-mediated genome editing in plants. These updated insights are useful for starch management in economically important plant species under dynamic environmental conditions.

Automated summary

Starch, a type of carbohydrate commonly found in plants, is a major source of energy in human food. Drought and salinity can significantly affect starch content in economically important crop species. The effects of abiotic stress on starch accumulation vary depending on the plant type, duration of stress exposure, and specific environmental factors.