Impact of abiotic stress on crops.
Adverse environmental conditions such as water deficit and sudden temperature changes affect metabolic and physiological processes of crops. These factors can compromise their development, productivity and adaptive capacity in the face of nutritional and light deficits or mechanical damage.
All these factors constitute what is known as abiotic stress and are mainly responsible for the loss of crop productivity. In fact, it is estimated that these losses exceed 50% of agricultural production worldwide (Bray et al., 2000).
Climate change and its role in abiotic stresses
Current climate change trends predict an increase in the severity and frequency of adverse environmental situations such as droughts, floods, extreme temperatures, alteration of normal precipitation patterns, etc. Unlike animals, plants cannot migrate to places with more benign conditions when they have to endure adverse situations. This is why they have had to evolve to develop mechanisms of adaptation and defense against any type of abiotic stress to which they are exposed. This adaptation can alter their metabolism and result in negative effects on their growth, development and productivity (Levitt, 1980; Rao et al., 2006; Rejeb et al., 2014).
Adaptation mechanisms involve a complex molecular network. It begins with the perception of stress signals, their transduction and genetic regulation (Shinozaki et al., 2003; Vinocur and Altman, 2005). This results in changes in plant proteins to synthesize new useful components or eliminate unnecessary ones under current conditions.
The management of abiotic stress involves providing solutions that improve plant tolerance to these situations, preparing them in a preventive manner and helping them to recover.
Genetic engineering and biotechnology: innovative solutions
On the one hand, genetic engineering, with classical breeding assisted by molecular markers and transgenic plants, is helping to improve plant stress tolerance and yield under adverse conditions.
Biotechnology, focused on the study of plant hormones and their impact in abiotic stress situations, has highlighted the role of abscisic acid (ABA), ethylene and others such as jasmonic acid (JA) and salicylic acid (SA). These hormones increase plant tolerance to water stress, salt stress or sudden changes in temperature.
Abiotic stress management strategies
Other field solutions include maintaining a nutritionally balanced environment, managing efficient irrigation and ensuring soil health. As a basis for crop development, the use of biostimulants is also essential.
For farmers, these tools should become indispensable for regular management strategies and help prevent, mitigate and recover crops from abiotic stress. Climate change has accelerated these devastating effects, so it is crucial to integrate these solutions to protect and strengthen crops.
Importance of osmoprotectants
Of all the substances that make up biostimulants, glycine betaine plays a crucial role in resistance to water, salt and heat stress. It acts as a natural osmoregulator, balancing the osmotic potential between the inside and outside of plant cells. This prevents massive water loss, maintaining cell turgor, photosynthetic rate and numerous metabolic processes of the plant. Unlike other osmoregulators such as proline, glycine betaine is not naturally synthesized in most plants of agronomic interest. Therefore, to take advantage of its benefits in our crops, it is necessary to apply it in the form of specific biostimulants. Its use provides, first of all, an energy saving to the plant, since it does not need to urgently synthesize other osmoregulators to tolerate abiotic stress. Secondly, its preventive application ensures a faster plant response to stress and better recovery.
Although much remains to be discovered about the different components and factors involved in plant response to abiotic stress, recent advances have been significant, and the development of new breeding strategies has provided crucial adaptive advantages for crops under stress.
These tools, which include genetic engineering techniques, biotechnology and the use of biostimulants such as glycine betaine, are essential. For the future of agriculture, these innovations play a crucial role in crop sustainability and efficiency.
These innovations not only increase productivity, but also ensure the stability of agricultural production. In a world increasingly affected by climate change and adverse environmental conditions, these solutions are essential.
