Abscisic Acid Perception and Signaling in Chenopodium quinoa

Abstract

Food production and global economic stability are being threatened by climate change. The increment of drought episodes and the increase of soil salinization are major problems for agriculture worldwide. Chenopodium quinoa (quinoa), as a resilient crop, is capable of growth in harsh environments due to its versatility and adaptive capacity. Quinoa is classified as an extremophile crop, tolerant to salinity, drought and low temperature. Furthermore, quinoa is recognized as a pseudo-cereal with outstanding nutritional properties. The phytohormone ABA is a key regulator of physiological responses to salinity and drought, among others stressful conditions. In this article we want to revise recent discoveries regarding ABA perception and signaling in quinoa, and evaluate its implications on stress-tolerance breeding of this pseudocereal and other crops.