Plant Temperature Sensors

Abstract

Temperature is one of the most important environmental signals for plants. High and low temperatures have a variety of effects that affect plant growth and development profoundly. Further, temperature is an indication of seasonal change. Plants must survive under severe conditions in winter and prepare to resume growth and reach their reproductive stage in the following spring. Recent studies have focused on plant mechanisms responsible for sensing temperature and the molecular systems underlying plant reactions in response to this signal. In this review, we describe how plants sense ambient temperature to adapt to ambient-temperature changes.