Aug 2026· Frontiers in Plant Science· 0 citations· 72 references
TL;DR
This review synthesizes recent advances in elucidating the molecular and physiological mechanisms underlying drought tolerance in Vitis vinifera to provide an integrative conceptual framework to support sustainable viticulture in water-limited environments.
Abstract
Drought stress severely limits grapevine productivity and compromises fruit quality, with its adverse effects expected to intensify under ongoing climate change. This review synthesizes recent advances in elucidating the molecular and physiological mechanisms underlying drought tolerance in
Vitis vinifera
. Key physiological responses include abscisic acid (ABA)-mediated amplification of stomatal closure, osmotic adjustment, activation of antioxidant defense systems, and hydraulic vulnerability segmentation-a protective strategy involving the targeted sacrifice of petioles and basal leaves to maintain hydraulic integrity in stems and roots. These coordinated responses are regulated by a complex transcriptional network centered on NAC, WRKY, MYB, and bZIP transcription factors, and further modulated by hormone metabolism, potassium channel activity, aquaporin-facilitated water transport, and both enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant pathways. We also identify critical knowledge gaps requiring urgent attention: (First) field-scale validation of transgenic or CRISPR-edited grapevine lines; (Second) the molecular basis of rootstock–scion signaling during drought stress; and (Third) the integration of multi-omics data with high-resolution phenotyping to accelerate precision breeding. Collectively, this review provides an integrative conceptual framework to support sustainable viticulture in water-limited environments.
The survival of plants in arid environments relies on their intricate responses to drought stress, encompassing physiological, biochemical, and molecular mechanisms. In the face of limited water availability, plants exhibit remarkable adaptations to minimize water loss and sustain vital functions. Physiologically, stomatal closure reduces transpirational water loss, while growth reduction and wilting help conserve water. Root growth alterations enable exploration of deeper soil layers for water acquisition. Biochemically, osmotic adjustment through accumulation of compatible solutes maintains cellular turgor pressure. Antioxidant production counteracts reactive oxygen species (ROS) induced by water stress. Notably, abscisic acid (ABA) accumulates, orchestrating stress responses including stomatal closure and gene regulation. Molecularly, gene expression changes underlie the activation of stress-responsive genes. Transcription factors like DREB and bZIP modulate gene expression, while ABA-dependent and ABA-independent pathways govern signaling. LEA proteins and chaperones shield cellular structures, and microRNAs fine-tune post-transcriptional regulation. This comprehensive framework underscores the remarkable capacity of plants to adapt to drought stress through an integrated network of physiological, biochemical, and molecular strategies. Understanding these responses holds promise for enhancing crop resilience and agricultural sustainability in water-scarce environments.
Anjali, P. Chand· Progressive Agriculture· 0 citations
A comprehensive theoretical framework linking physiological responses, molecular regulatory networks and practical field technologies is constructed, offering systematic theoretical references and technical guidance for salt-tolerant germplasm innovation and environmentally sustainable viticulture on saline soils.
Ting Zheng, Hongying Li, Lingzhu Wei et al.· International Journal of Mol...· 0 citations
Abstract Among the numerous changes produced by global climate change, the increased frequency of heat waves and droughts is of great concern to viticulture. These changes are threatening the continuity of vineyards in certain regions and under the same crop management. This review has synthesised current knowledge on the physiological, molecular, and hydraulic mechanisms that confer varying levels of drought and heat tolerance in grapevine rootstocks. The widely known rootstocks 110R, 1103P, and 140Ru exhibit contrasting isohydric or anisohydric behaviours, which affect stomatal regulation, water-use efficiency, and hydraulic conductance. In recent decades, new rootstocks (M and RG) have been developed with the aim of combining drought and heat tolerance with agronomic advantages. Plants with greater tolerance to water stress have specific xylem anatomy and root morphology that permit them to maintain water uptake and status. Regarding xylem vessels, vessel diameter and density influence water uptake and cavitation vulnerability. These characteristics, as well as aquaporin activity and hormone levels (abscisic acid and 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid), are responsible for signalling stress responses and intermediating recovery. Heat stress also affects photosynthesis, phenology, and berry composition, also making oxidative damage. Plant active mechanisms such as the production of heat shock proteins and antioxidant systems for decreasing these effects. Actually, a problem when choosing the best rootstock-scion is that many studies describe individual processes, but few compare multiple rootstocks-scion under identical field conditions or evaluate combined drought and heat scenarios. Future research should shed light on in-depth questions regarding physiological, anatomical, and molecular mechanisms to identify genotypes with greater stress tolerance and inform breeding programmes. Selecting the appropriate rootstock and scion combination, along with vineyard management strategies, is key to maintaining grape production and wine quality in a warmer climate.
Leonor Deis, Sofia Maza Deis, A. Quiroga et al.· Experimental Agriculture· 0 citations
This review synthesizes existing knowledge on the morpho-physiological, biochemical, and molecular response of B. napus to drought stress and emphasizes the importance of phytohormone signaling, osmotic adjustment, and stress response gene and transcription factors in enhancing plant adaptation to drought conditions.
M. W. Yonas, Shoaib Zawar, M. Aziz et al.· The Journal of Animal and Pl...· 0 citations
This review comprehensively synthesizes recent advances in abiotic stress perception, signal transduction and hormone‐mediated regulation, highlighting their roles in shaping plant stress tolerance and proposes an integrated multi‐scale framework to provide a holistic understanding of drought and salinity stress tolerance and to guide the development of resilient crop systems.
Muhammad Farooq, A. Khan, A. Hassan et al.· Plant Breeding· 0 citations
Soil salinity is a major threat to crop productivity, sustainable agriculture, and global food security, with more than 833 million hectares of land affected worldwide. Salt stress restricts plant growth through osmotic stress, ion toxicity, oxidative damage, membrane disruption, reduced photosynthesis, and yield loss. Plants respond through coordinated regulatory networks that connect early stress perception with ion balance, osmotic adjustment, hormone signaling, transcript regulation, and protein modification. Recent advances have identified several sensory and signaling modules involved in salinity responses, including calcium signaling, receptor like kinases, FERONIA, OSCA, MOCA, annexins, and mechanosensitive channels that detect ionic, osmotic, and mechanical changes. Established pathways such as the SOS pathway and GABA shunt are included as established background mechanisms for sodium homeostasis and metabolic adjustment under saline conditions. Hormonal networks involving abscisic acid, ethylene, jasmonic acid, auxin, gibberellins, and brassinosteroids coordinate root architecture, stomatal control, antioxidant defense, growth restraint, and post-stress recovery. Emerging regulatory layers mediated by microRNAs, phosphorylation, ubiquitination, and SUMOylation further fine tune transcript stability, protein activity, ion transport, redox balance, and stress resilience. A central challenge is the translational gap between model species and crops, since many mechanisms defined in Arabidopsis and rice still lack functional validation in major crop species and halophytes. Integrating conserved and species dependent mechanisms with crop centered validation will help convert molecular knowledge into breeding, genome editing, and management strategies for saline agriculture.
Muhammad Usman, Li Wang, Xiaojuan An et al.· Plant Science· 0 citations