Novel approaches to mitigate heat stress impacts on crop growth and development

Abstract

Heat stress is a major constraint to crop production and food security. The incidence of heat stress in crops has increased due to rapid changes in the global climate. Heat stress has a tremendous impact on crop growth and productivity due to its direct and indirect effects on water. Therefore, it is important to understand the morphological, physiological, biochemical, molecular, and ecological basis of heat stress in crop plants to minimize its impact on food production. Several genes alter their expression, proteins, and transcription factors to cope with heat stress. Adverse effects on macromolecules and genes change the signaling pathways for heat stress resistance. In the early phase of heat stress, plants regulate their immunity and plant nutrition management to alleviate the heat stress. All the self management of plants gets fail in severe heat stress situation to overcome from heat stress condition a judicious combination of conventional breeding and new technologies will help plants to cope efficiently with heat stress, including maintaining/enhancing yield to contribute to the nutritional requirements of the growing population. A better understanding of plant responses to heat stress has practical implications for remedies and management.