Plants' responses to drought
Droughts are often sensed by plant roots, hormones and other messenger molecules throughout the plant. These signalling mechanisms are complex, but they ensure that plants can respond to periods of stress or water scarcity effectively. The MAPKINDROUGHT (MAPK signalling network to adapt leaf growth to drought conditions) initiative investigated the mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) and associated enzymes involved in the drought stress response. The goal was to link the MAPK signalling pathway to the growth of plants under drought stress conditions. Scientists studied how various proteins and molecules in the MAPK pathway were connected in Arabidopsis thaliana. Using computer models, they identified enzymes and enzyme substrates that interacted with MAPK after drought or other stress. Water scarcity and other environmental conditions can severely limit crop yields due to associated stress, despite modern agricultural advances. This research can ultimately lead to improved stress tolerance in plants and consequently better crop yields.
Keywords
Plants, drought, plant growth, crop yields, signalling mechanisms, MAPK signalling