Molecular Mechanisms of Plant Response to Abiotic Stresses and Breeding for Stress Tolerance

Major threats to global food security are abiotic stresses like salinity, drought, extreme temperatures and hypoxia. Comprehending plant responses' molecular mechanisms to these stresses is essential for stress-tolerant crops. This article provides a comprehensive overview of plant abiotic stress responses, focusing on stress signal perception and transduction, gene expression regulation, cellular and physiological adaptation mechanisms. It emphasizes advancements in identifying key factors for stress tolerance and in omics technologies facilitating these. The article also discusses applying this knowledge to develop stress-tolerant crops via genetic engineering and other means. However, it acknowledges challenges in translating molecular knowledge into practical breeding outcomes, such as stress tolerance trait complexity, genotype-by-environment interactions, and trade-offs with other agronomic traits. The article emphasizes the need for a multidisciplinary approach integrating molecular biology, genomics, biotechnology and traditional breeding to address these challenges. It also highlights the importance of exploring and using genetic diversity in wild relatives and landrace collections, and the potential of emerging technologies like systems biology and AI in speeding up stress-tolerant crop development. The review concludes by calling for continued investment in R&D, capacity building, and collaboration among researchers, breeders, policymakers and stakeholders to ensure a food-secure future faced with global climate change.