Blog

Abiotic stresses, including drought, salinity, extreme temperatures, and heavy metals, pose significant threats to global crop production and food security. Understanding the molecular and genetic basis of abiotic stress tolerance is essential for developing resilient crop varieties. This review comprehensively examines recent advances in the molecular and genetic mechanisms underlying abiotic stress tolerance in crops. Key topics include signal perception and transduction pathways, stress-responsive gene expression, osmotic adjustment, and ion homeostasis. We explore genetic approaches such as quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping, genome-wide association studies (GWAS), and functional genomics that have elucidated critical genes and regulatory networks, to discuss biotechnological interventions, including transgenic approaches, marker-assisted breeding, and synthetic biology, highlighting their applications in enhancing stress tolerance. Case studies in major crops such as rice, wheat, maize, and soybean illustrate practical advances and challenges. Finally, we address future perspectives, emphasizing the integration of multi-omics approaches, the impact of climate change, and the ethical and regulatory considerations of biotechnological advancements. This review aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the current state of abiotic stress tolerance research and its implications for sustainable agriculture.