Abstract
Biotic, abiotic stresses and their unpredictable combinations severely reduce plant growth and crop yield worldwide. The different chemicals (pesticides, fertilizers, phytoregulators) so far used to enhance crop tolerance to multistress have a great environmental impact. In the search of more eco-friendly systems to manage plant stresses, chitin, a polysaccharide polymer composed of N-acetyl-D-glucosamine and D-glucosamine and its deacetylated derivative chitosan appear as promising tools to solve this problem. In fact, these molecules, easily obtainable from crustacean shells and from the cell wall of many fungi, are non-toxic, biodegradable, biocompatible and able to stimulate plant productivity and to protect crops against pathogens. In addition, chitin and chitosan can act as bioadsorbents for remediation of contaminated soil and water. In this review we summarize recent results obtained using chitin- and chitosan-based derivatives in plant protection against biotic and abiotic stresses and in recovery of contaminated soil and water.
Highlights
Biotic, abiotic stresses and in particular the unpredictable combination of different stresses are very harmful to plant growth and development, and lead to severe crop yield loss worldwide [1]
A naturally occurring long-chain high molecular weight polysaccharide composed of N-acetyl-D-glucosamine and
4], among in this review we summarize only against recent results, chitosan-based derivatives in plant protection biotic and abiotic stresses and in using chitinand chitosan-based in plant protection against biotic and abiotic stresses and recovery of contaminated soil andderivatives water
Summary
Biotic (pathogen attack, herbivores, wounding), abiotic (deficient or excessive water, low or high temperature, high salinity, ultraviolet radiation, heavy metals, various toxic contaminants) stresses and in particular the unpredictable combination of different stresses are very harmful to plant growth and development, and lead to severe crop yield loss worldwide [1]. The extensive use of these chemicals in agriculture has a great environmental impact, with accumulation in soil, water and in living organisms [2] This has stimulated the search of more eco-friendly mechanisms to manage plant stresses. The increasing industrial production and use of nuclear are such a major environmental In molecules fact, these containing compoundsheavy accumulate in soil syntheticresidues molecules as dyes, pesticides,concern. Fertilizers, metal ions or and water and enter food chains resulting in mutagenesis, carcinogenicity and other serious nuclear residues are ainto major environmental concern. These compounds accumulate in soil and human health impairments [5]. Chitosan, impressive number of papersindealing with the use these molecules in anofagricultural
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