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Drought Resistance Mechanisms in Crops

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A special issue of Agronomy (ISSN 2073-4395). This special issue belongs to the section "Water Use and Irrigation".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 January 2022) | Viewed by 36462

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Dr. Alejandro Galindo

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Department of Agroforestry Science, University of Seville, Ctra. Utrera Km 1, 41013 Seville, Spain
Interests: irrigation management; deficit irrigation; climate change; plant ecophysiology; water stress; water relations; water footprint; water use efficiency; water productivity; water saving; droughts and water scarcity; plant nutrition; evapotranspiration and plant modelling
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Dear Colleagues,

Agricultural crops make a major contribution to food and economic security worldwide. However, due to their sessile nature, plants are continuously exposed to biotic and abiotic stress. Abiotic stress, such as drought, salinity, extreme temperatures, and chemical pollution, leads to crop failure and significant yield losses. Of these, drought and salinity stress are the major causes of crop failure worldwide, leading to yield loss and salinization of arable land for major crops.

The current and predicted global warming has already led to a combination of elevated temperatures and decreased precipitation, whose effects have led to more frequent and severe drought conditions drastically affecting crop productivity. Plants have developed a wide range of adaptive structural, physiological, and molecular response mechanisms at the whole plant, organ, and cellular levels and in signal transduction pathways to cope with the effects of abiotic stresses.

However, stress response and tolerance vary greatly among plant species, creating a gap in our understanding of them.

Therefore, the aim of this Special Issue is to gather novel and recent studies in the field of plant response to abiotic stress. Of particular interest is research on stress responses aimed at reducing the effects of stress, such as water loss and protection against oxidative damage, as is research on response mechanisms employed at the whole-plant, tissue, cellular, and molecular levels for metabolic adjustment and gene expression regulation to enhance physiological and morphological adaptation.

All types of manuscripts (original research, reviews, etc.) are welcome.

Dr. Alejandro Galindo
Guest Editor

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Keywords

Drought
Salinity
Abiotic stress
Avoidance
Tolerance
Adaptation
Water relations
Isohydric
Anisohydric

Published Papers (9 papers)

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Research

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13 pages, 7285 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Simple, Semi-Automated, Gravimetric Method to Simulate Drought Stress on Plants

by Dilrukshi Kombala Liyanage, Ishan Chathuranga, Boyd A. Mori and Malinda S. Thilakarathna

Agronomy 2022, 12(2), 349; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/agronomy12020349 - 29 Jan 2022

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 4907

Abstract

Drought is a major constraint of global crop production. Given that drought-induced crop losses can threaten world food security, it has been and continues to be the focus of a large body of interdisciplinary research. Most drought experiments are conducted under controlled environmental conditions, where maintaining accurate soil moisture content is critical. In this study, we developed a simple, Arduino microcontroller-based, semi-automated, lysimeter that uses the gravimetric method to adjust soil moisture content in pot experiments. This method employs an Arduino microcontroller interfaced with a balance as part of a portable lysimeter and irrigation system which can weigh and record the mass of plants growing in pots, determine water loss due to evapotranspiration, and adjust soil moisture automatically to a desired relative soil water content. The system was validated with a greenhouse pot experiment using a panel of 50 early-maturity Canadian soybean varieties. Drought was induced in the experiment by adjusting soil moisture content to 30% field capacity while maintaining control pots at 80%. Throughout the experiment, the two moisture levels were efficiently maintained using the Arduino-based lysimeter. Plant physiological responses confirmed that plants in the drought treatment were under physiological stress. This semi-automated lysimeter is low-cost, portable, and easy to handle, which allows for high-throughput screening. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Drought Resistance Mechanisms in Crops)

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13 pages, 4536 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Drought Tolerant Varieties of Common Beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) in Central Afghanistan

by Sayed Muhammad Baqer Hussaini, Roy C. Sidle, Zaigham Kazimi, Aziz Ali Khan, Abdul Qayum Rezaei, Zahra Ghulami, Taher Buda, Rahmatullah Rastagar, Ali Aqa Fatimi and Zahra Muhmmadi

Agronomy 2021, 11(11), 2181; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/agronomy11112181 - 28 Oct 2021

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3260

Abstract

Legume crops have played a significant role in the historical dietary regime of Afghan peoples. Recently, production of common beans has increased on Afghan farms relative to other leguminous crops. However, compared with other pulse crops, common beans are more prone to water stress. To select drought resistant common beans, several varieties were assessed in the field during a sequence of restricted water supplies for two years and the local drought regime was analyzed for a 12-years period. The first experiment in 2018 compared five bean varieties under four irrigation regimes. White and black beans with long maturation periods and climber habits, and motley beans, characterized by moderate maturity and semi-climber structures, were susceptible to drought and did not mature well under restricted irrigation and ambient climate conditions. The other two varieties, red and pied beans, adapted to restricted water supplies and the long dry summers; these two varieties were assessed again in 2019. Statistical analyses and inferences based on the 2019 study suggest that red beans are more adaptable to water deficit treatments compared to pied beans. Therefore, red beans are considered a better option given the frequent mid- to late-summer droughts that occur in this region, together with the generally harsh mountain climate and short growing season of the central Afghanistan highlands. As a second varietal choice, pied beans are reasonably drought tolerant based on our findings. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Drought Resistance Mechanisms in Crops)

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18 pages, 3901 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Drought-Adaptive Mechanisms of Young Sweet Cherry Trees in Response to Withholding and Resuming Irrigation Cycles

by Pedro José Blaya-Ros, Víctor Blanco, Roque Torres-Sánchez and Rafael Domingo

Agronomy 2021, 11(9), 1812; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/agronomy11091812 - 09 Sep 2021

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2101

Abstract

The present work evaluates the main adaptive mechanisms developed by young sweet cherry trees (Prunus avium L.) to cope with drought. For this purpose, the young trees were subjected to two drought cycles with different water stress intensities followed by a recovery period. Three irrigation treatments were applied: control treatment (CTL) irrigated to ensure non-limiting soil water conditions; moderate water stress (MS) subjected to two drying cycles whose duration was dependent on the time elapsed until the trees reached values of midday stem water potential (Ψ_stem) of −1.3 and −1.7 MPa for the first and second cycle, respectively; and severe water stress (SS) similar to MS, but with reference values of −1.6 and −2.5 MPa. In-between drought cycles, MS and SS trees were irrigated daily as the CTL trees until reaching Ψ_stem values similar to those of CTL trees. The MS and SS trees showed an important stomatal regulation and lower vegetative growth. The decreasing leaf turgor potential (Ψ_turgor) during the drought periods accounted for 40–100% of the reduction in leaf water potential at midday (Ψmd). The minimum osmotic potential for mature leaves was about 0.35 MPa lower than in well-irrigated trees. The occasional osmotic adjustment observed in MS and SS trees was not sufficient to maintain Ψ_turgor values similar to the CTL trees or to increase the specific leaf weight (SLW). The leaf insertion angle increased as the water stress level increased. Severe water stress (Ψ_stem < −2.0 MPa) resulted in clear early defoliation as a further step in water conservation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Drought Resistance Mechanisms in Crops)

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13 pages, 3573 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Systematic Investigations of the ZF-HD Gene Family in Tobacco Reveal Their Multiple Roles in Abiotic Stresses

by Jinhao Sun, Minmin Xie, Xiaoxu Li, Zhiyuan Li, Qi Wang, Anming Ding, Weifeng Wang and Yuhe Sun

Agronomy 2021, 11(3), 406; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/agronomy11030406 - 24 Feb 2021

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2949

Abstract

Zinc finger homeodomain (ZF-HD) transcription factors play significant roles in plant growth and responses to environmental stresses. In this study, 32 ZF-HD genes identified in the tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) genome were divided into six groups according to phylogenetic analysis with Arabidopsis and tomato ZF-HD members. An examination of gene structures and conserved motifs revealed the relatively conserved exon/intron structures and motif organization within each subgroup. In addition, various stress-related elements are found in the promoter region of these genes. The expression profiling analysis revealed that NtZF-HD genes expressed in different tissues and could be induced by several abiotic stresses. Notably, NtZF-HD21 was highly expressed in response to the drought treatments. Subcellular localization analysis and a virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) experiment were performed to investigate the potential functions of NtZF-HD21. The subcellular localization indicated that NtZF-HD21 is a nuclear protein. Furthermore, gene silencing of the NtZF-HD21 gene reduced the drought resistance of tobacco. These findings provide insights for further biological functional analyses of the NtZF-HD genes in tobacco. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Drought Resistance Mechanisms in Crops)

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20 pages, 3548 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Silicon-Mediated Physiological and Agronomic Responses of Maize to Drought Stress Imposed at the Vegetative and Reproductive Stages

by Dongfeng Ning, Anzhen Qin, Zhandong Liu, Aiwang Duan, Junfu Xiao, Jiyang Zhang, Zugui Liu, Ben Zhao and Zhanjun Liu

Agronomy 2020, 10(8), 1136; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/agronomy10081136 - 05 Aug 2020

Cited by 14 | Viewed by 2994

Abstract

Silicon (Si) enhances maize resistance to drought. While previous studies have mainly focused on the seedling stage, the mediation of drought stress by Si imposed at the vegetative and reproductive stages has been rarely investigated. A soil-column experiment was thus conducted under a rainproof shelter to quantify the effect s of Si application on the physiological and agronomic responses of maize to drought stress imposed at the 6-leaf (D-V6), 12-leaf (D-V12), and blister (D-R2) stages. The observed parameters included plant growth, photosynthesis, osmolytes, antioxidant activity, and grain yield. The results showed that drought stress strongly decreased the leaf area, leaf water content, photosynthetic rate, chlorophyll content, and antioxidant activity (superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), and catalase (CAT)) and markedly increased lipid peroxidation. D-V6, D-V12, and D-R2 decreased grain yields by 12.9%, 28.9%, and 44.8%, respectively, compared to the well-watered treatment (CK). However, Si application markedly increased leaf area, chlorophyll content, photosynthetic rate, osmolyte content, and enzymatic antioxidant activities (SOD, POD, and CAT), and decreased malondialdehyde (MDA) and superoxide radical accumulation, ultimately improving maize yields by 12.4%, 69.8%, and 80.8%, respectively, compared to the non-Si treated plants under drought stress at the V6, V12, and R2 stages. Furthermore, maize yields had a significant positive correlation with chlorophyll content and SOD and POD activity during the three stages. Our findings suggest that Si-induced changes in chlorophyll content and antioxidant activity might constitute important mechanisms for mitigating drought stress. In conclusion, this study provides physico-biochemical evidence for the beneficial role of Si in alleviating drought-induced yield reduction in maize, particularly during the late vegetative or early reproductive stages. Thus, Si application constitutes an effective approach for improving maize yield in rain-fed agricultural systems. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Drought Resistance Mechanisms in Crops)

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18 pages, 742 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Influence of SDHI Seed Treatment on the Physiological Conditions of Spring Barley Seedlings under Drought Stress

by Dominika Radzikowska, Monika Grzanka, Przemysław Łukasz Kowalczewski, Romana Głowicka-Wołoszyn, Andrzej Blecharczyk, Marcin Nowicki and Zuzanna Sawinska

Agronomy 2020, 10(5), 731; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/agronomy10050731 - 19 May 2020

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 4912

Abstract

Seed treatments help reduce the pathogen load and thus improve the condition of plants from their earliest developmental stages, but they can have impacts beyond their basic fungicide protection role. In this study, we investigated how seven spring barley seed treatments affected the plants’ physiological state. The tested seed treatments differed significantly in their impacts on the vigor parameters of barley seeds and on the physiological state of seedlings under drought stress and after regeneration. Seed treatments based on substances from the succinate-dehydrogenase-inhibitors (SDHI) group did not cause inhibition of seedling growth and also display by the highest vigor index values. Using the analysis of photosynthesis-related parameters, we showed that seed treatments from the SDHI group provided a superior tolerance of the imposed drought in spring barley than other treatments. In addition to protection against abiotic stress, SDHI treatments also rendered a higher efficiency of photochemical reactions in the treated plants. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Drought Resistance Mechanisms in Crops)

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11 pages, 3118 KiB

Open AccessArticle

High Soybean Yield and Drought Adaptation Being Associated with Canopy Architecture, Water Uptake, and Root Traits

by Xiu-Bing Gao, Can Guo, Feng-Min Li, Ming Li and Jin He

Agronomy 2020, 10(4), 608; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/agronomy10040608 - 24 Apr 2020

Cited by 19 | Viewed by 2850

Abstract

Water stress is the main abiotic factor that limits soybean grain yield. We investigated eight soybean cultivars under well-watered (WW) and terminal drought stress (TDS) conditions to determine the traits associated with water saving and the relationship between water use, root morphology, canopy architecture, flower and tagged-pod number, and yield performance. Under WW conditions, the average grain yield across the new soybean cultivars was significantly higher (18.7 g plant⁻¹ vs. 15.1 g plant⁻¹), but significantly less water was used (36 L plant⁻¹ vs. 47 L plant⁻¹) than in the old soybean cultivars. Under TDS, the four old soybean cultivars failed to produce a measurable grain yield, while the new soybean cultivars Zhonghuang 30 (ZH) and Jindou 19 (J19) produced a measurable grain yield. Water stress significantly reduced the flower numbers and tagged-pod numbers; the four new soybean cultivars on average had low flower and tagged-pod numbers under WW treatment, while they had low flower but high tagged-pod numbers under TDS conditions. ZH and JD exhibited a lower branch number and leaf area under both WW and TDS conditions. Water use during the flowering and podding periods was significantly positively correlated with the flower number and the tagged-pod number under both WW and TDS conditions. Thus, the small canopy size and low root length and root surface area contributed to a water-saving mechanism in the new soybean cultivars and improved the yield under drought conditions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Drought Resistance Mechanisms in Crops)

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17 pages, 2540 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Response of Photosynthetic Performance to Drought Duration and Re-Watering in Maize

by Yuying Jia, Wanxin Xiao, Yusheng Ye, Xiaolin Wang, Xiaoli Liu, Guohong Wang, Gang Li and Yanbo Wang

Agronomy 2020, 10(4), 533; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/agronomy10040533 - 08 Apr 2020

Cited by 21 | Viewed by 2643

Abstract

The drought tolerance and capacity to recover after drought are important for plant growth and yield. In this study, two maize lines with different drought resistance were used to investigate the effects of different drought durations and subsequent re-watering on photosynthetic capacity, electron transfer and energy distribution, and antioxidative defense mechanisms of maize. Under short drought, maize plants decreased stomatal conductance and photosynthetic electron transport rate, and increased NPQ (Non-photochemical quenching) to dissipate excess excitation energy in time and protect the photosynthetic apparatus. With the increased drought duration, NPQ, antioxidase activity, PI_total (total performance index), ∆I/Io, ψ_Eo (quantum yield for electron transport)_, φ_Eo (efficiency/probability that an electron moves further than Q_A⁻), δ_Ro (efficiency/probability with which an electron from the intersystem electron carriers is transferred to reduce end electron acceptors at the PSI acceptor side) and φ_Ro (the quantum yield for the reduction of the end electron acceptors at the PSI acceptor side) were significantly reduced, while Y(NO) (quantum yield of nonregulated energy dissipation) and MDA (malondialdehyde) began to quickly increase. The photosynthetic rate and capacity of photosynthetic electron transport could not recover to the level of the plants subjected to normal water status after re-watering. These findings indicated that long drought damaged the PSI (photosystem I) and PSII (photosystem II) reaction center and decreased the electron transfer efficiency, and this damage could not be recovered by re-watering. Different drought resistance and recovery levels of photosynthetic performance were achieved by different maize lines. Compared with D340, D1798Z had higher NPQ and antioxidase activity, which was able to maintain functionality for longer in response to progressive drought, and it could also recover at more severe drought after re-watering, which indicated its higher tolerance to drought. It was concluded that the capacity of the energy dissipation and antioxidant enzyme system is crucial to mitigate the effects caused by drought, and the capacity to recover after re-watering was dependent on the severity and persistence of drought, adaptability, and recovery differences of the maize lines. The results provide a profound insight to understand the maize functional traits’ responses to drought stresses and re-watering. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Drought Resistance Mechanisms in Crops)

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Review

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22 pages, 6232 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceReview

Effect of Drought Stress on Potato Production: A Review

by Muhammad Waqar Nasir and Zoltan Toth

Agronomy 2022, 12(3), 635; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/agronomy12030635 - 04 Mar 2022

Cited by 44 | Viewed by 8356

Abstract

Potato is the third most consumed crop globally after rice and wheat. It is a short-duration crop, versatile in use, suitable for growing in a wide range of environments, and its production is increasing rapidly. The modern potato is considered a drought-sensitive crop, and it is susceptible to yield loss because of drought stress. Unfortunately, drought severity, frequency, and extent have been increasing around the globe because of climate change. Potato drought susceptibility has primarily been attributed to its shallow root system. However, several studies in past decades have suggested that drought susceptibility of potato also depends upon the type, developmental stage, and the morphology of the genotype, and the duration and severity of drought stress. They have been overlooked, and root depth is considered the only significant cause of potato drought susceptibility. This review combines these studies to understand the varying response of potato genotypes. This review also explores the current potato production scenario and the effect of varying degrees of drought stress on potatoes’ growth, development, and yield. In the absence of drought-tolerant genotypes, agronomic practices should be improved to mitigate drought stress. Late maturing cultivars, nutrient management, mulching, and foliar application of plant growth regulators can be used during prolonged droughts. Irrigation at tuber initiation and the tuber bulking stage during early droughts can reduce the adverse effects of drought. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Drought Resistance Mechanisms in Crops)

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