Understanding the Impact of Global Climate Change on Abiotic Stress in Plants and the Supportive Role of PGPR

Abstract

Plants form the fundamental trophic level of almost all the food chains, and as such are the most significant biotic component of our ecosystems. However, there is a rising threat on the growth and well-being of these organisms due to variations in climatic conditions. Climate change conditions pose threat to plants by exposing them to various abiotic stresses, such as salinity, drought and UV-B radiation, eventually leading to oxidative stress in plant cells. Plants can put up their defence against such stressors using a number of strategies namely, adaptation, avoidance and tolerance. The action of antioxidant molecules and enzymes play a pivotal role in fighting the oxidative stress and its key player, reactive oxygen species (ROS). Plants can also develop an epigenetic memory of the stress, by modulating the expression of genes involved in stress tolerance via the epigenetic code. With the rise in environmental challenges due to climate change in recent times, it is also important to underline the helpful role played by plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) in building more stress-resilient plants, and the diverse array of plant genera with which these PGPR can associate.