What Is Cold Stress?
Cold stress is one of the main environmental factors affecting plant growth, development, yield and quality. Under cold stress, photosynthesis of plants is inhibited, photorespiration and electron transfer are blocked, and excess O2 forms reactive oxygen species (ROS) such as superoxide anions, hydrogen peroxide, and hydroxyl radicals. However, a large amount of accumulated ROS will damage the membrane lipids, proteins and other cellular components of plant cells, cause membrane peroxidation, produce a large amount of malondialdehyde (MDA), increase cell membrane permeability, and electrolyte extravasation, eventually leading to plant cell death. Plant dry matter accumulation is reduced, growth and development are stagnant, and even death occurs. Therefore, maintaining the balance of ROS metabolism under cold stress is very important for the cold resistance of plants.
How To Overcome It?
Abscisic acid (ABA) is a plant endogenous hormone that plays an important regulatory role in inhibiting plant senescence and cell death. At the same time, it is also an important signaling molecule for plants to respond to various stresses such as cold, drought, heavy metals, etc. Under cold stress, the activity and gene expression of key enzymes in the ABA synthesis pathway are up-regulated, resulting in a significant increase in ABA content, which is used to enhance plant stress resistance. The application of exogenous ABA can also improve the cold tolerance of plants by promoting the synthesis and transportation of ABA in plants.
Studies have shown that ABA treatment increased the SOD, POD, and CAT activities of red bean and corn seedlings, while also reducing the accumulation of ROS and MDA content, effectively alleviating the damage caused by cold stress.
Other studies have found that exogenous ABA can increase the APX and GR enzyme activities of cucumber and sugarcane seedlings under high and low temperature stress, increase the content of non-enzymatic antioxidants, reduce electrolyte leakage and chilling damage index, and improve antioxidant capacity and plant cell stability and cold tolerance.
It can be seen that ABA plays an important role in regulating plant ROS metabolism and cold resistance under low temperature conditions.
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