Multiple combinations of abiotic stress tomato plants in order to find answers that improve their acclimatisation and survival in the face of climate change (IMAGE)
Caption
A research team from the Eco-Physiology and Biotechnology Group at the Universitat Jaume I of Castelló, led by researcher Sara Izquierdo Zandalinas with the collaboration of José Luis Rambla Nebot, studies how complex combinations of these stress conditions affect the growth and survival of tomato plants. The team analyzes which plant responses are beneficial or harmful for acclimation to the environment, as well as the changes occurring in their metabolism, proteins and hormones.
According to the results obtained and published so far, the effects of combining different types of stress are extensive. They impact photosynthesis, growth, and also the accumulation of proline, an amino acid that, while beneficial for stress resistance, could have an adverse effect under multifactorial stress. The study also provided interesting evidence about the role of a specific polyamine (spermine) in plant tolerance to a particular combined stress (salinity and the herbicide paraquat).
Another conclusion of the study is that mechanisms for eliminating reactive oxygen species (ROS) could represent a potential strategy to increase plant and crop tolerance to multifactorial stress. Additionally, the hormone jasmonic acid appears to play a key role in tomato acclimation under combined conditions of high light intensity, salinity and paraquat exposure.
Finally, through a multi-omics approach, the team analyzed the effect of up to six simultaneous stressors and determined that tomatoes activate a specific molecular program depending on stress complexity. They identified more than 190 genes that respond commonly, as well as others that are activated only under extreme conditions, including two key regulators of responses to combined heat stress. When comparing with other species, similar responses were found, suggesting a universal adaptation mechanism. These findings provide new insights for developing crops that are more resilient to the extreme conditions imposed by climate change.
Credit
Universitat Jaume I of Castellón
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