Physiological and Biochemical Changes in Vegetable and Field Crops under Drought, Salinity and Weeds Stresses: Control Strategies and Management

Abstract

Weeds are one of the most damaging biotic stresses in crop production, and drought and salinity are considered the most serious abiotic stresses. These factors harmfully affect growth and development in several vegetable and field crops by causing harmful effects on physiological and biochemical characteristics such as water uptake, photosynthesis, relative water content, electrolyte leakage, and antioxidant compounds linked with oxidative stress and the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). These oxidative stress-related components affect most physiological and biochemical characteristics in plants under natural conditions and environmental stresses, especially weed infestation, salinity, and drought stress. ROS such as superoxide (O2•−), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), peroxyl radical (ROO•), and singlet oxygen (1O2) are very important molecules produced naturally as by-products of metabolic processes in chloroplasts, mitochondria, peroxisomes, and the apoplast. Under stress conditions such as weed infestation, drought and salinity, the morphological and yield characteristics of stressed plants are negatively affected; however, superoxide (O2•−) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) are significantly increased. The negative impact of weeds can be mitigated with integrated controls which include herbicides, allelopathy, and crop rotation as well as the different methods for weed control. The defense system in various crops mainly depends on both enzymatic and nonenzymatic antioxidants. The enzymatic antioxidants include superoxide dismutase, glutathione reductase, and catalase; nonenzymatic antioxidants include ascorbic acid, carotenoids, α-Tocopherols, proline, glutathione, phenolics, and flavonoids. These antioxidant components can scavenge various ROS under several stresses, particularly weeds, drought and salinity. In this review, our objective is to shed light on integrated weeds management and plant tolerance to salinity and drought stresses associated with the ROS and the induction of antioxidant components to increase plant growth and yield in the vegetable and field crops.

Role of Polyamines in the Response to Salt Stress of Tomato

“…The overproduction of ROS, caused by salt stress, can be balanced by antioxidant enzymatic activity [48], which involves several enzymes, such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX). Studies have shown that, under saline stress, their activities are increased in salt-tolerant plants, but decreased in saltsensitive ones [26,28].…”

Impact of cobalt and proline foliar application for alleviation of salinity stress in radish

“…The effects of salinity stress on plants encompass various alterations in morphological parameters and biochemical processes. These alterations include reductions in root and shoot length, vegetable production, chlorophyll content, and changes in secondary metabolites such as oxidative compounds, signal molecules, and hormones [ 70 , 71 ]. Salinity adversely affects the germination rate, germination percentage, and growth of seedlings.…”

Physiological Responses of Two Olive Cultivars to Salt Stress

“…Salt accumulation in the root zone causes the development of osmotic stress (osmotic effect) and disrupts cell ion homeostasis by inhibiting the uptake of essential nutrients and inducing the accumulation of Na + and Cl − to potentially toxic levels within cells (specific ion effect) [ 62 , 63 ]. These primary stresses induce the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) [ 33 , 64 , 65 ], causing a reduction in the activity of certain enzymes [ 33 , 64 , 66 ].…”

“…Salt stress can contribute to the production of enormous reactive oxygen species (ROS) [ 3 , 21 ]. ROS are known to generate damage to cell membranes and other cellular components [ 31 , 32 , 33 ]. Excessive ROS production leads to lipid peroxidation, enzyme inhibition, and nucleic acid modifications [ 34 , 35 , 36 ].…”