Abiotic Stress Related Genes and their Role in Conferring Resistance in Plants

Abstract

Abiotic environmental stresses, which limit the plant distribution and productivity, include low and high temperature, salinity and water deficit. Over the last century human activities have increased the level of environmental stress in the form of pollutants such as ozone and heavy metals, levels of UV light reaching the biosphere and salinity in irrigated areas. Plants are sessile and have, therefore, developed mechanisms to survive under extreme environments sometimes in vegetative stages of their life cycle. The recent surge of information on regulation of gene expression under stress conditions as well as the biochemical function of individual proteins in conferring tolerance to stress will help in isolating the genes of interest to produce desired transgenics. The understanding of molecular basis of these survival mechanisms discussed in this review may ultimately help enhance

plant productivity in current marginal areas. The review deals with effect of drought and salt stress on plants and the regulatory mechanisms.