Aug 2026· Frontiers in Plant Science· Vol 17· 0 citations· 80 references
Medicine
Abstract
Saline soil and drought are among the most devastating abiotic stresses constraining sugarcane (Saccharum spp.) production globally, with soil salinity affecting over 1,125 Mha worldwide and drought causing severe yield losses in tropical and subtropical agroecosystems. As a glycophytic C4 crop supplying ~80% of the world’s sugar, sugarcane is particularly vulnerable, with threshold salinity tolerance at a mere 1.7 dS m–1 electrical conductivity (EC). This review integrates recent developments in the physiological, biochemical, and molecular responses of sugarcane during stress conditions. Under salinity, photosynthetic CO2 efficiency, chlorophyll integrity, source–sink partitioning, reactive oxygen species (ROS) metabolism, phytohormone signaling, and osmolyte accumulation are altered based on the sugarcane cultivars and cultivation regions. Under drought, stomatal regulation, root hydraulics, abscisic acid (ABA) cascades, and the expression of dehydrin and late embryogenesis abundant (LEA) proteins govern tolerance. At the molecular level, ion-transporter genes (SOS pathway), DREB/ERF transcription factors, aquaporins, and small RNAs constitute central regulatory hubs. Mitigation strategies, including agronomic interventions, exogenous osmoprotectants, plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria, biochar amendment, and advanced breeding tools such as CRISPR/Cas9, marker-assisted selection, and transgenic approaches, are comprehensively discussed for sustainable sugarcane production.
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
Water deficit is one of the most critical factors for determining the growth and yield of sugarcane. Understanding the physiological and molecular mechanisms of sugarcane responses is essential for developing resilient cultivars. In this study, three sugarcane cultivars, NX04 (sensitive), BL (moderate), and NXI-4T (tolerant), were grown in a greenhouse for 2 months and then subjected to drought stress for 8 days after planting. Morphological variation showed that the tolerant sugarcane cultivar exhibits a longer root system and delays leaf chlorosis and rolling. Malondialdehyde (MDA) content was increased in the sensitive and moderate cultivars, although it slightly increased in the tolerant cultivars at 8 days after drought stress. The increase was accompanied by increases in proline content and in gene expression of the catalase (Cat) and ascorbate peroxidase (Apx) across all cultivars, which protect cells from oxidative damage. Interestingly, the expression of the photosynthetic Pepc (phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase) and Sps (sucrose-phosphate synthase) genes was significantly decreased, whereas SPS activity increased under drought stress. This implies that the SPS protein may be regulated through post-translational modification. The expression of transcription factors (TFs) of NAC, rather than DREB, was significantly upregulated in the tolerant cultivar under 8 days of drought stress, in line with the delay of chlorosis.
Risky Mulana Anur, Muslimah Arniyanti, Intan Ria Neliana et al.· International Journal of Pla...· 0 citations
Abiotic stresses, such as drought, salinity, temperature extremes, heavy metals, and pesticide toxicity, severely impact plant growth and productivity, primarily through the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and metabolic imbalances. In the era of climate change and declining agricultural sustainability, the development of stress-resilient crops has become essential for ensuring global food and nutritional security. Millets, also known as ‘super grain’ or ‘miracle grain’ due to their nutritional value, are recognized for their inherent resilience and exhibit superior adaptability in arid and semi-arid ecosystems towards these abiotic stresses. It is due to their C4 photosynthetic efficiency, rapid life cycles, and deep root architecture. These cereals deploy integrated morphological, physiological, biochemical, and molecular mechanisms, including antioxidant defense systems, osmolyte accumulation, stress-responsive gene expression, and hormonal regulation to maintain homeostasis under stress. Despite these traits, millet improvement lags behind that of major cereals due to limited breeding efforts and underdeveloped molecular resources. This review focuses on recent advances in stress tolerance mechanisms, highlighting omics-driven insights, microbial and phytohormonal mitigation strategies, and exploring genome editing and modern breeding tools, such as CRISPR/Cas9 and genome-wide association studies (GWAS), for developing climate-resilient millet cultivars suitable for sustainable agriculture and future food security. The article explores the development of climate-resilient millet varieties by integrating molecular innovations into traditional agronomic practices, which will provide future benefits framework for developing new varieties. Overall, the article will deepen understanding of the molecular processes underlying stress responses and provide targeted solutions to enhance stress tolerance in millets.
Amandeep Singh, S. Kaushik, Manu Sharma et al.· Discover Plants· 0 citations
Drought and high temperature are major abiotic stresses that increasingly threaten crop productivity under climate change. Although responses to individual stresses are widely documented, the combined effects of drought and heat often induce distinct physiological and metabolic adjustments that remain insufficiently understood. This study investigated short-term responses of garlic plants (cv. Istarski crveni) grown under water-available and ambient temperature (W+/T−), water-available and high temperature (W+/T+), drought-induced and ambient temperature (W−/T−), and drought-induced and high temperature (W−/T+) conditions in controlled climate chambers. Morphological and physiological traits (leaf color parameters, chlorophyll fluorescence, and dry matter), together with metabolite profile (abscisic acid, gamma-aminobutyric acid, proline, glycine, serine, glucose, fructose, mannitol), were assessed over an 8-day period using ANOVA and PLS-DA analyses. Exposure to drought reduced substrate water content and induced abscisic acid (ABA) accumulation, followed by increased proline levels and changes in leaf dry matter. When occurring with high temperature, accumulation of osmolytes, including glucose, fructose, and serine was observed, while photosystem II efficiency remained stable. Multivariate analysis revealed that temperature dominated treatment differentiation during first three days, whereas water availability became an important factor from day 4 onwards. Serine and fructose emerged as potential early biomarkers of combined drought and temperature stress, while leaf color and fluorescence parameters emerge as candidate non-destructive indicators of plant stress responses, warranting validation under field conditions.
T. Kovačević, N. Major, Marina Krpan et al.· Frontiers in Plant Science· 1 citation
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.
Soil salinity is a major abiotic stress that severely limits plant growth and productivity worldwide, particularly under changing climate conditions. Silicon (Si) has emerged as a promising approach for improving plant tolerance to salinity stress; however, its integrated physiological effects in perennial forage grasses remain insufficiently understood. This study investigated the role of Si in alleviating salinity stress in
Agropyron cristatum
×
A. desertorum
cv. Hycrest-Mengnong under controlled conditions. Plants were exposed to 0, 100, and 200 mM NaCl with or without Si application, and growth, physiological, biochemical, and ionic responses were evaluated. Salinity stress significantly reduced plant height, biomass, leaf area, photosynthetic performance, chlorophyll content, and PSII efficiency, with the strongest inhibitory effects observed at 200 mM NaCl. Salinity also increased oxidative damage, as indicated by higher malondialdehyde (MDA) content, promoted proline accumulation associated with osmotic adjustment, enhanced antioxidant enzyme activities, and disrupted ionic homeostasis through excessive Na⁺ accumulation and reduced K⁺/Na⁺ ratio. Si application markedly alleviated these adverse effects by improving growth, maintaining photosynthetic efficiency and chlorophyll stability, enhancing antioxidant defense, promoting osmotic adjustment, and regulating ion balance through reduced Na⁺ accumulation and improved K⁺ retention. These findings demonstrate that Si enhances salinity tolerance through coordinated regulation of physiological, biochemical, and ionic mechanisms. The study provides a mechanistic framework for understanding Si-mediated salinity tolerance in perennial forage grasses and highlights the potential application of Si for improving forage productivity under saline conditions.
Aneela Bashir, Ansar Abbas, Xiaohong Li et al.· Plant growth regulation (Pri...· 0 citations