Understanding the Impact of Global Climate Change on Abiotic Stress in Plants and the Supportive Role of PGPR

Abstract

Plants form the fundamental trophic level of almost all the food chains, and as such are the most significant biotic component of our ecosystems. However, there is a rising threat on the growth and well-being of these organisms due to variations in climatic conditions. Climate change conditions pose threat to plants by exposing them to various abiotic stresses, such as salinity, drought and UV-B radiation, eventually leading to oxidative stress in plant cells. Plants can put up their defence against such stressors using a number of strategies namely, adaptation, avoidance and tolerance. The action of antioxidant molecules and enzymes play a pivotal role in fighting the oxidative stress and its key player, reactive oxygen species (ROS). Plants can also develop an epigenetic memory of the stress, by modulating the expression of genes involved in stress tolerance via the epigenetic code. With the rise in environmental challenges due to climate change in recent times, it is also important to underline the helpful role played by plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) in building more stress-resilient plants, and the diverse array of plant genera with which these PGPR can associate.

Role of rhizospheric microbial enzymes in plant growth promotion, antagonism, and sustainable agriculture: A review

“…Research about enhancing plants' tolerance to abiotic stress has notably increased in recent decades. This focus is due to plants being highly vulnerable to climate change impacts, given their immobility and dependence on environmental conditions [98]. Bacteria play a crucial role in mitigating environmental issues caused by natural and human-related challenges, such as heavy metal and pesticide pollution, as well as salinity and drought.…”

The underestimated role of plant root nitric oxide emission under low-oxygen stress

“…In particular, plants are subjected to increasingly extreme weather conditions because of their sessile lifestyles and are forced to endure stressors with all their consequences (Prasch and Sonnewald, 2015). The impact and response of plants to these stressors have been extensively discussed and investigated from different perspectives (Bigot et al, 2018;Cassia et al, 2018;Agnihotri and Mitra, 2023). However, the influence of stressed plants on climate change remains unclear.The factors that predominantly influence the climate are the quantity and composition of greenhouse gases.…”