A brief overview of plant abiotic stresses

Abstract

Plants live in constantly changing environments, many are unfavourable or stressful to their growth and development. Agricultural crop cultivation and production badly affected by several stresses raised from complex environmental conditions. Abiotic stresses such as cold, drought, nutrient deficiency, and excess salt or toxic metals in the soil are examples of adverse environmental conditions. Furthermore, climate change contributes to the increased frequency and severity of many non-biological stresses, particularly temperature and drought. A global increase of abiotic stresses affecting plant growth and productivity of major crops is being realized. Sessile life forms, the plants, must deal with abiotic stressors like drought, salt content of the soil, and high temperatures. Furthermore, improving plant stress resistance is crucial for agricultural productivity and environmental sustainability because crops with poor stress resistance consume excessive amounts of water and fertilizer, putting a strain on the environment. The present review is a brief account of the abiotic stresses that affect plant growth and development and the actions of plants to overcome the stresses.