Involvement of citrus shoots in response and tolerance to abiotic stress

Abstract

Traditionally, the root system has been regarded as the primary component influencing citrus tolerance. Aerial tissues also play a crucial role in abiotic stress tolerance, as they are responsible for vital physiological processes, such as photosynthesis and transpiration. In addition, these tissues are directly exposed to various stress conditions, including extreme temperatures (heat and cold), high light irradiation, and ultraviolet (UV) exposure. In the current climate change scenario, optimizing both citrus rootstocks and grafted scions is crucial to ensure fruit quality and crop yield. Various approaches have been used to investigate the significance of aerial tissues, including in vitro systems, isolated aerial tissue growth, reciprocal grafting, and girdling. This review highlights recent research on the role of aerial tissues in citrus plants under various abiotic stress conditions. Studying and optimizing the genotypes used as scions in grafted citrus plants under abiotic stress conditions is crucial and may contribute to the development of new crop management strategies and breeding programs. Furthermore, this knowledge could be extended to other crops, enabling the development of more resilient and productive agricultural systems.