Transcription Factors and Plants Response to Drought Stress: Current Understanding and Future Directions

CRISPR-Cas9-mediated editing of ZmPL1 gene improves tolerance to drought stress in maize

Maize (Zea mays L.) is a widely grown food crop around the world. Drought stress seriously affects the growth and development process of plants and causes serious damage to maize yield. In the early stage, our research group conducted transcriptome sequencing analysis on the drought-resistant maize inbred line H8186 and screened out a gene with significantly down-regulated expression, Phylloplanin-like (ZmPL1). The ZmPL1 gee expression pattern was analyzed under various abiotic stresses, and the results showed that this gene was greatly affected by drought stress. Subcellular localization analysis showed that the protein was localized on the cell membrane. In order to verify the role of ZmPL1 in drought stress, we overexpressed ZmPL1 in yeast and found that the expression of ZmPL1 could significantly increase the drought sensitivity of yeast. Next, ZmPL1 transgenic plants were obtained by infecting maize callus using Agrobacterium-mediated method. Under drought stress, compared with overexpression lines, gene-edited lines had higher germination rate and seedling survival rate, lower accumulation of MDA, relative conductivity and ROS, higher antioxidant enzyme activity, and the expression levels of stress-related genes and ROS scavenging-related genes were significantly increased. Exogenous application of ABA to each lines under drought stress attenuated the damage caused by drought stress on ZmPL overexpressing plants. In summary, ZmPL1 negatively regulates drought tolerance in maize.

Harnessing the interplay of protein posttranslational modifications: Enhancing plant resilience to heavy metal toxicity

Heavy metals (HMs) toxicity finds substantial plant health risk, affecting germination, growth, productivity, and survival. HMs exposure can interrupt cellular function, increase oxidative stress and affect physiological processes. Plants have developed array of adaptive responses, with proteins playing key role in detecting, signalling, and mitigating metal-induced stress. Under stress, posttranslational modifications, including phosphorylation, ubiquitination, glycosylation and acetylation, are essential regulators of protein stability, localization, and function. This review examines the comprehensive profiling of PTMs in HMs stress responses, including how PTMs regulate the signalling pathways, degradation pathways, and TFs modulation. Specifically, discuss the role of phosphorylation, ubiquitination, and sumoylation, neddylation, lipidation, and S-nitrosylation in specifically under HMs stress with PTMs regulation of antioxidant enzymes, stress proteins, metal transporters and chelators of detoxification. This review illustrates the crosstalk of PTMs to show how synergistic interactions regulate protein stability, activity, and localization upon HMs stress. In cross talk, ubiquitination often starts from phosphorylation to subsequent degradation of proteins in a timely and reversible way to trigger stress responses. However, sumoylation stabilizes key transcription factors that are rapidly dephosphorylated and integral in metal detoxification, form a synergistic combination with phosphorylation to maintain their activity. It explains the future research directions, focusing on PTM engineering to generate stress tolerant plant varieties. By studying the response of plants to HMs stress through PTMs, emphasizes the relevance of PTMs towards plant resilience and advocates for systems biology integrative approach to advancing plant stress biology.

Upregulated expression of MYB4, DREB1 and AP37 transcription factors modulates cold stress response in high-altitude Himalayan rice via time-dependent ROS regulation

BACKGROUND

Cold stress is an upcoming challenge for rice (Oryza sativa L.) cultivation, especially at the seedling establishment stage. It causes serious constraints in its production and productivity as it is a thermophilic cereal crop. North-western Himalayan region has a rich repository of temperate rice genotypes, and there is a need to identify cold-tolerant rice varieties from these available genetic resources.

METHODS AND RESULTS

The present study screened 90 rice accessions (indica and japonica) grown in the high-altitude regions at 2200 m amsl for cold tolerance (5 °C) at the seedling stage, and found 14 highly cold-tolerant accessions. Almost eighty per cent of the indica types clustered into cold-sensitive class. One cold-tolerant japonica (GS-74) accession and one cold-susceptible (SR-4) accession were used to compare their biochemical and gene expression response during cold stress and after recovery. A wide range of differences was noticed at different time points in the accumulation of ROS scavengers, osmo-protectants and antioxidant enzymes, with significant differences between the contrasting genotypes. Similarly, gene expression of five transcription factors OsMYB4, OsAP37, OsDREB1A, OsDREB1B and OsDREB1D revealed their role in cold responsiveness at the seedling stage, critically modulating the cold-induced osmoprotectant-mediated tolerance mechanism.

CONCLUSION

This is the first study that explored the high-altitude Himalayan rice germplasm for cold tolerance at the critical S3 seedling stage under controlled conditions. It demonstrated that the upregulation of OsDREB1A, OsDREB1B, OsMYB4 and OsAP37 transcription factors modulates cold stress response in rice via a complex mechanism involving ROS scavengers and osmoprotectants.

Recent advances in designing synthetic plant regulatory modules

Introducing novel functions in plants through synthetic multigene circuits requires strict transcriptional regulation. Currently, the use of natural regulatory modules in synthetic circuits is hindered by our limited knowledge of complex plant regulatory mechanisms, the paucity of characterized promoters, and the possibility of crosstalk with endogenous circuits. Synthetic regulatory modules can overcome these limitations. This article introduces an integrative de novo approach for designing plant synthetic promoters by utilizing the available online tools and databases. The recent achievements in designing and validating synthetic plant promoters, enhancers, transcription factors, and the challenges of establishing synthetic circuits in plants are also discussed.

The potential of seaweed-derived polysaccharides as sustainable biostimulants in agriculture

Seaweed polysaccharides such as alginate, carrageenan, agar, and ulvan are emerging as key bioresources in sustainable agriculture due to their unique structural characteristics and functional properties. This review highlights their potential as eco-friendly biostimulants capable of enhancing soil health, plant growth, and stress resilience. Specific mechanisms, including the gel-forming capacity of alginate, ion exchange abilities, and the hydrophilic nature of these polysaccharides, enable improved water retention, nutrient uptake, and plant productivity under adverse conditions, including drought, salinity, and extreme temperatures. Moreover, their role as hydrogels and bio-elicitors introduces novel approaches to addressing global challenges in agriculture, such as climate change and food security. Real-world applications, such as the use of Ascophyllum nodosum extract for drought tolerance and Gracilaria tenuistipitata var. liui to boost grain yields, underscore the practicality and success of these biostimulants. Despite their promising applications, challenges like variability in seaweed quality, high extraction costs, and limited product standardization hinder their scalability. This review provides an integrated analysis of their biochemical properties, agricultural applications, and commercial products while proposing solutions to optimize their use for advancing sustainable farming practices.

Transcriptome Analysis Reveals the Role of Plant Hormone Signal Transduction Pathways in the Drought Stress Response of Hemerocallis middendorffii

Drought stress is a significant environmental factor that can impede plant growth and ornamental quality. Hemerocallis middendorffii, a drought-tolerant garden plant, has attracted attention for its ornamental value and application prospects. To investigate the molecular mechanism of drought stress resistance of H. middendorffii, this study employed 20% polyethylene glycol (PEG) 6000 to simulate drought stress. Leaves and roots of H. middendorfii were subjected to 24 h treatment and followed by transcriptome sequencing. Analysis revealed 8796 and 3401 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in leaves and roots. The major biological processes and key molecular pathways activated under drought stress in H. middendorffii were revealed by Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses. The focus of this analysis was on the gene expression changes within plant hormone signal transduction pathway. Additionally, drought-associated transcription factor families such as AP2/ERF, WRKY, MYB, bHLH, NAC, and bZIP were identified among DEGs. Furthermore, potential regulatory relationships of the above transcription factors (TFs) with functional genes in the abscisic acid (ABA) and jasmonic acid (JA) signalling pathways were analysed using correlation network prediction. This research establishes the groundwork for subsequent exploration of drought-responsive gene expression and regulatory patterns in H. middendorfii and provides an importance for the systematic study of its drought-resistant molecular mechanism.

HB52-PUT2 Module-Mediated Polyamine Shoot-to-Root Movement Regulates Salt Stress Tolerance in Tomato

Soil salinity severely restricts crop quality and yields. Plants have developed various strategies to alleviate salinity stress's negative effects, including polyamine redistribution by polyamine uptake transporters (PUTs). However, the mechanisms by which PUTs alter polyamine translocation processes during salt stress have not been fully elucidated. Here, we show that disruption of PUT2, which is involved in polyamine shoot-to-root transport, results in salt sensitivity phenotypes in tomato. Moreover, yeast one-hybrid screened for an HD-Zip transcription factor HB52 that interacts with PUT2, and loss of function of HB52 also led to increased sensitivity to salt stress, whereas HB52-overexpression lines exhibited improved salt tolerance. Furthermore, molecular analyses demonstrated that HB52 directly activated the expression of PUT2 and facilitated Na+ efflux by promoting polyamine shoot-to-root mobility. This study uncovers a synergistic transcriptional regulatory network associated with a homeobox protein regulator that promotes polyamine long-distance transport under salt stress.

Identification of candidate genes for drought tolerance in soybean through QTL mapping and gene expression analysis

Introduction

Drought stress significantly reduces soybean yield, underscoring the need to develop drought-resistant varieties and identify the underlying genetic mechanisms. However, the specific genes and pathways contributing to drought tolerance remain poorly understood. This study aimed to identify candidate genes associated with drought tolerance in soybean using a recombinant inbred line (RIL) population derived from PI416937 and Cheongsang.

Methods

A quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping study using a 180K high-quality SNP array and composite interval mapping on 140 recombinant inbred lines, coupled with RNA sequencing of treated and control groups, was conducted to identify candidate genes for drought tolerance in soybean.

Results and Discussion

Through QTL mapping and differential gene expression profiling, five candidate genes were identified, with two (Glyma.06G076100 and Glyma.10G029600) highlighted as putative candidates based on functional annotations. These genes appear to play critical roles in stress tolerance, including ion homeostasis and the regulation of plasma membrane ATPase, as well as the synthesis of heat shock proteins (HSPs) that mitigate dehydration and thermal stress. These findings advance our understanding of the genetic basis of drought tolerance in soybean and provide valuable targets for breeding programs aimed at developing resilient cultivars.

Enhancing drought resistance in Dracocephalum moldavica L. through mycorrhizal fungal inoculation and melatonin foliar application

This research focused on improving the drought tolerance of Dracocephalum moldavica, a plant vulnerable to water stress, by exploring the combined effects of melatonin spray and mycorrhizal fungus Glomus intraradices inoculation. The experiment was designed as a factorial randomized study to evaluate the plant's morphological, physiological, and phytochemical responses under different drought conditions (100%, 75%, and 50% field capacity). The findings revealed that the combination of melatonin and mycorrhizal inoculation significantly improved the morphological traits of Moldavian balm under drought conditions. Under severe drought (50% field capacity), chlorophyll a and b levels increased by 26.3% and 35.5%, respectively, when both treatments were applied. Stress indicators, including electrolyte leakage and malondialdehyde content, were substantially reduced with the simultaneous application of melatonin and mycorrhizal symbiosis, indicating decreased cellular damage. Moreover, the combined treatment resulted in the highest activities of the antioxidant enzymes catalase and peroxidase, suggesting that these treatments bolster the plant's oxidative stress defense mechanisms. Additionally, drought stress alone led to an increase in secondary metabolites like phenolic and flavonoid compounds, which were further amplified by the treatments. The study also observed significant alterations in the essential oil composition of the plant. Drought stress increased the levels of α-pinene, 1,8-cineole, and borneol, and these increases were even more pronounced with the combined treatments. Conversely, the levels of geraniol and geranial decreased under drought stress and further with treatment. Overall, this research demonstrates that melatonin and Glomus intraradices inoculation can effectively enhance drought tolerance in Dracocephalum moldavica by improving its physiological characteristics and biochemical composition.

Exploring physiological and molecular dynamics of drought stress responses in plants: challenges and future directions

Plants face multifactorial environmental stressors mainly due to global warming and climate change which affect their growth, metabolism, and productivity. Among them, is drought stress which alters intracellular water relations, photosynthesis, ion homeostasis and elevates reactive oxygen species which eventually reduce their growth and yields. In addition, drought alters soil physicochemical properties and beneficial microbiota which are critical for plant survival. Recent reports have shown that climate change is increasing the occurrence and intensity of drought in many regions of the world, which has become a primary concern in crop productivity, ecophysiology and food security. To develop ideas and strategies for protecting plants against the harmful effects of drought stress and meeting the future food demand under climatic calamities an in-depth understanding of molecular regulatory pathways governing plant stress responses is imperative. In parallel, more research is needed to understand how drought changes the features of soil, particularly microbiomes, as microorganisms can withstand drought stress faster than plants, which could assist them to recover. In this review we first discuss the effect of drought stress on plants, soil physicochemical properties and microbiomes. How drought stress affects plant microbe interactions and other microbe-driven beneficial traits was also highlighted. Next, we focused on how plants sense drought and undergo biochemical reprogramming from root to shoot to regulate diverse adaptive traits. For instance, the role of calcium (Ca2+), reactive oxygen species (ROS) and abscisic acid (ABA) in modulating different cellular responses like stomata functioning, osmotic adjustment, and other adaptive traits. We also provide an update on the role of different hormones in drought signaling and their crosstalk which allows plants to fine tune their responses during drought stress. Further, we discussed how recurrent drought exposure leads to the development of short-term memory in plants that allows them to survive future drought stresses. Lastly, we discussed the application of omics and biotechnological-based mitigating approaches to combat drought stress in sustainable agriculture. This review offers a deeper understanding of multiple factors that are related to drought stress in plants which can be useful for drought improvement programs.

Utilizing Multi-Omics Analysis to Elucidate the Molecular Mechanisms of Oat Responses to Drought Stress

The oat is a crop and forage species with rich nutritional value, capable of adapting to various harsh growing environments, including dry and poor soils. It plays an important role in agricultural production and sustainable development. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the responses of oat to drought stress remain unclear, warranting further research. In this study, we conducted a pot experiment with the drought-resistant cultivar JiaYan 2 (JIA2) and water-sensitive cultivar BaYou 9 (BA9) during the booting stage under three water gradient treatment conditions: 30% field capacity (severe stress), 45% field capacity (moderate stress), and 70% field capacity (normal water supply). After 7 days of stress, root samples were collected for transcriptome and proteome analyses. Transcriptome analysis revealed that under moderate stress, JIA2 upregulated 1086 differential genes and downregulated 2919 differential genes, while under severe stress, it upregulated 1792 differential genes and downregulated 4729 differential genes. Under moderate stress, BA9 exhibited an upregulation of 395 differential genes, a downregulation of 669, and an upregulation of 886 differential genes, and it exhibited 439 downregulations under severe stress. Under drought stress, most of the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) specific to JIA2 were downregulated, mainly involving redox reactions, carbohydrate metabolism, plant hormone signal regulation, and secondary metabolism. Proteomic analysis revealed that in JIA2, under moderate stress, 489 differential proteins were upregulated and 394 were downregulated, while 493 differential proteins were upregulated and 701 were downregulated under severe stress. In BA9, 590 and 397 differential proteins were upregulated under moderate stress, with 126 and 75 upregulated differential proteins under severe stress. Correlation analysis between transcriptomics and proteomics demonstrated that compared with no drought stress, four types of differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) were identified in the JIA2 differential gene-protein interaction network analysis under severe stress. These included 13 key cor DEGs and DEPs related to plant hormone signal transduction, biosynthesis of secondary metabolites, carbohydrate metabolism processes, and metabolic pathways. The consistency of gene and protein expression was validated using qRT-PCR, indicating their key roles in the strong drought resistance of JIA2.

Regulatory networks of bZIPs in drought, salt and cold stress response and signaling

Abiotic stresses adversely impact plants survival and growth, which in turn affect plants especially crop yields worldwide. To cope with these stresses, plant responses depend on the activation of molecular networks cascades, including stress perception, signal transduction, and the expression of specific stress-related genes. Plant bZIP (basic leucine zipper) transcription factors are important regulators that respond to diverse abiotic stresses.By binding to specific cis-elements, bZIPs can control the transcription of target genes, giving plants stress resistance. This review describes the structural characteristics of bZIPs and summarizes recent progress in analyzing the molecular mechanisms regulating plant responses to salinity, drought, and cold in different plant species. The main goal is to deepen the understanding of bZIPs and explore their value in genetic improvement of plants.

Unveiling the role and crosstalk of hydrogen sulfide with other signalling molecules enhances plant tolerance to water scarcity

Drought, a major factor limiting global crop yields, disrupts plant growth, water interactions, and overall water use efficiency. Hydrogen sulfide (H2S), a key gasotransmitter, has become a crucial signalling molecule in plant biology. It promotes growth and development while significantly contributing to the plant's response to various abiotic stresses, including drought. This review explores how H₂S mitigates drought stress in plants and crosstalks with various signalling molecules such as nitric oxide, melatonin, abscisic acid, γ-aminobutyric acid, polyamines, and others. It highlights how these interactions, with H₂S acting either upstream or downstream, enhance the plant's stress response and resistance. Furthermore, H₂S signalling involves persulfidation, in which H₂S modifies protein thiol groups to protect against oxidative damage. The review underscores the key role of protein persulfidation in reducing reactive oxygen species accumulation and maintaining redox homeostasis under drought stress. The review aims to elucidate the role of H₂S in stress relief and expand our knowledge of how it contributes to plant resistance during water scarcity by examining its regulatory mechanisms and interactions. Additionally, it proposes practical strategies for enhancing agricultural practices in the face of growing drought conditions, offering methods to leverage H₂S for improving plant tolerance to water scarcity.

Nanoparticle-Elicited Eustress Intensifies Cucumber Plant Adaptation to Water Deficit

Under changing climates, engineering drought-resistant crops is critical for reducing food insecurity. Here, we leverage plant "stress memory" and ROS-generating silica nanoparticles (NPs) to enhance the drought tolerance of cucumber plants. Under PEG-mimicking drought conditions, cucumber seeds primed with fumed silica NPs (40 mg/L, 4 h) exhibited an increased seed germination rate (from 66.7 to 80.0%), enhanced seedling vigor (59.3%), and improved root and shoot length (24.4 and 74.1%, respectively) compared to seeds primed with water. In contrast, silicic acid and traditional silicon fertilizers at the same dose did not show priming effects, indicating that the released Si did not contribute to the observed outcomes. Metabolomics reveals that silica seed priming accelerated the mobilization of seed-stored reserves. Vegetative tissues also exhibit enhanced drought resistance, and metabolomics analysis reveals that the drought resistance strategy involves the upregulation of sugars (glucose, sucrose, trehalose, maltose; 34.7-74.8%), amino acids (methionine, 6-fold), signaling molecules (salicylic acid, 2.5-fold), and antioxidants (ascorbic acid, 2-hydroxycinnamic acid, ferulic acid, P-coumaric acid; 16.0-83.8%). Transcriptomics analysis reveals that several drought- and even desiccation-tolerant associated genes exert more pronounced transcript changes in silica-primed leaves. The life cycle study shows that silica seed priming does not generate any yield penalty or compromise the nutritional quality of the fruits. Importantly, offspring seeds exhibit enhanced vigor and drought tolerance, indicating the transgenerational transmission of the acquired drought resilience. The findings of this study provide a promising approach for engineering crops that are resilient to climate change.

Salt-Resilient Cowpeas: Early Identification Through Growth Parameters and Gene Expression at Germination Stage

Soil salinity is one of the most severe impacts of climate change, negatively affecting plant growth and development. Seed germination and seedling emergence are among the most critical stages susceptible to salt stress, making it important to explore them to identify the most resilient accessions for crop yield improvement. Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp.) is an important crop due to its ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen, improving soil health, and its high protein content. The main objectives of this study were to screen salt-resilient cowpea accessions from a worldwide collection and to evaluate cowpea responses to salt stress at germination stage through gene expression analysis. A total of 40 cowpea accessions from sixteen different countries were subjected to two treatments: control (water) and salt stress (150 mM NaCl solution). The seeds germinated, and the seedlings grew for ten days. The germination and growth parameters and lipid peroxidation quantification were determined. The results revealed significant differences in all parameters among accessions and treatments. A high variation in salt responses was detected among accessions, allowing the selection of five accessions (Co_2, Co_4, Co_21, Co_30, Co_31) as resilient to salt stress at germination stage. Subsequently, two salt stress-related genes (DREB2 and VuEXO) were evaluated through qPCR, revealing genotype-dependent regulation. These results provide valuable insights for the early selection of salt-resilient cowpea accessions, which may be considered for the development of improved and new varieties in the future.

Unraveling the intricate tapestry of bamboo transcription factors in abiotic stress signaling and resilience with special reference to moso bamboo family

The abiotic stress tolerance mechanism in plants is regulated by multiple physiological, biochemical, and molecular processes; hence, omics approaches to underpin these mechanisms are essential. It is clear that transcription factors (TFs) are one of the fundamental molecular switches that play a crucial role in modulating, regulating, and orchestrating plants in response to various climatic vagaries. Several reports are available now, focusing on understanding the roles of TFs, including those in Poaceae family in regulating different biological processes and stress responses. However, research on bamboo TFs' regulatory role in providing abiotic stress tolerance is limited. Hence the present review offers innovative insights into unraveling the molecular regulation of known family of TFs in different species of bamboo which have been identified as regulators of transcript abundance in numerous genes responsive to various abiotic stresses. Additionally, this review highlights recent discoveries concerning bamboo TFs, encompassing their classification, promoter analysis and functional dynamics in response to different abiotic stresses. Attempt has also been made to delve into the molecular interplay and cross-talk among these TFs during abiotic stresses, thus proposing potential strategies for enhancing the intricate regulatory networks involved in the adaptive responses of bamboo species.

The Trx-Prx redox pathway and PGR5/PGRL1-dependent cyclic electron transfer play key regulatory roles in poplar drought stress

Understanding drought resistance mechanisms is crucial for breeding poplar species suited to arid and semiarid regions. This study explored the drought responses of three newly developed 'Zhongxiong' series poplars using integrated transcriptomic and physiological analyses. Under drought stress, poplar leaves showed significant changes in differentially expressed genes linked to photosynthesis-related pathways, including photosynthesis-antenna proteins and carbon fixation, indicating impaired photosynthetic function and carbon assimilation. Additionally, drought stress triggered oxidative damage through increased reactive oxygen species production, leading to malondialdehyde accumulation. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis revealed that differentially expressed genes closely associated with physiological responses were enriched in cell redox homeostasis pathways, specifically the thioredoxin-peroxiredoxin pathway. Key genes in this pathway and in cyclic electron flow, such as PGR5-L1A, were downregulated, suggesting compromised reactive oxygen species scavenging and photoprotection under drought stress. Notably, ZX4 poplar exhibited higher drought tolerance, maintaining stronger activity in cyclic electron flow and the thioredoxin-peroxiredoxin pathway compared with ZX3 and ZX5. Genes like PGR5-L1A, 2-Cys Prx BAS1, PrxQ and TPX are promising candidates for enhancing drought resistance in poplars through genetic improvement, with potential applications for developing resilient forestry varieties.

Prospects for synthetic biology in 21st Century agriculture

Plant synthetic biology has emerged as a transformative field in agriculture, offering innovative solutions to enhance food security, provide resilience to climate change, and transition to sustainable farming practices. By integrating advanced genetic tools, computational modeling, and systems biology, researchers can precisely modify plant genomes to enhance traits such as yield, stress tolerance, and nutrient use efficiency. The ability to design plants with specific characteristics tailored to diverse environmental conditions and agricultural needs holds great potential to address global food security challenges. Here, we highlight recent advancements and applications of plant synthetic biology in agriculture, focusing on key areas such as photosynthetic efficiency, nitrogen fixation, drought tolerance, pathogen resistance, nutrient use efficiency, biofortification, climate resilience, microbiology engineering, synthetic plant genomes, and the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) with synthetic biology. These innovations aim to maximize resource use efficiency, reduce reliance on external inputs, and mitigate environmental impacts associated with conventional agricultural practices. Despite challenges related to regulatory approval and public acceptance, the integration of synthetic biology in agriculture holds immense promise for creating more resilient and sustainable agricultural systems, contributing to global food security and environmental sustainability. Rigorous multi-field testing of these approaches will undoubtedly be required to ensure reproducibility.

Comparative analysis of amino acid sequence level in plant GATA transcription factors

Transcription factors (TFs) are essential regulators of gene expression, influencing numerous biological processes such as development, growth, and cellular responses in plants. Among these, GATA TFs are distinguished by their highly conserved DNA-binding domain, characterized by a class IV zinc finger motif (CX2CX18-20CX2C). This study investigates the amino acid sequence patterns of 5,335 GATA TFs across 165 plant species sourced from the PlantTFDB database ( http://planttfdb.gao-lab.org/ ), encompassing diverse taxonomic groups. Through comparative sequence analysis, I identify conserved domains and structural features that enhance the understanding functional roles, evolutionary conservation, and lineage-specific adaptations of GATA TFs. These findings provide valuable insights into the diversification and functional specialization of GATA TFs, with implications for improving stress tolerance and adaptability in crops. This study contributes to the broader knowledge of transcriptional regulation in plant biology.

Tobacco production under global climate change: combined effects of heat and drought stress and coping strategies

With the intensification of global climate change, high-temperature and drought stress have emerged as critical environmental stressors affecting tobacco plants' growth, development, and yield. This study provides a comprehensive review of tobacco's physiological and biochemical responses to optimal temperature conditions and limited irrigation across various growth stages. It assesses the effects of these conditions on yield and quality, along with the synergistic interactions and molecular mechanisms associated with these stressors. High-temperature and drought stress induces alterations in both enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant activities, lead to the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and promote lipid peroxidation, all of which adversely impact physiological processes such as photosynthetic gas exchange, respiration, and nitrogen metabolism, ultimately resulting in reduced biomass, productivity, and quality. The interaction of these stressors activates novel plant defense mechanisms, contributing to exacerbated synergistic damage. Optimal temperature conditions enhance the activation of heat shock proteins (HSPs) and antioxidant-related genes at the molecular level. At the same time, water stress triggers the expression of genes regulated by both abscisic acid-dependent and independent signaling pathways. This review also discusses contemporary agricultural management strategies, applications of genetic engineering, and biotechnological and molecular breeding methods designed to mitigate adverse agroclimatic responses, focusing on enhancing tobacco production under heat and drought stress conditions.

OsCactin positively regulates the drought stress response in rice

KEY MESSAGE

OsCactinpositively regulates drought tolerance in rice. OsCactin is regulated by OsTRAB1 and interacts with OsDi19 proteins to defend against drought stress. Drought stress significantly limits plant growth and production. Cactin, a CactinC_cactus domain-containing protein encoded by a highly conserved single-copy gene prevalent across the eukaryotic kingdom, is known to play diverse roles in fundamental biological processes. However, its function in rice drought tolerance remains poorly understood. In this study, with its overexpression and knockout rice lines in both a pot drought experiment and a PEG drought-simulation test, OsCactin was found to positively regulate rice drought tolerance during the rice seedling stage. The OsCactin-overexpressing lines presented high tolerance to drought stress, whereas the OsCactin-knockout plants were sensitive to drought stress. OsCactin was localized in the nucleus, and was predominantly expressed in the leaves and panicles at the seedling and booting stages, respectively. Furthermore, OsTRAB1, a drought-responsive TF of the bZIP family, binds to the promoter of OsCactin as a drought-responsive regulator. OsDi19 proteins, the Cys2/His2 (C2H2)-type zinc finger TFs from the drought-induced 19 family, interact with OsCactin both in vitro and in vivo. Our results provide new insights into the intricate mechanisms by which OsCactin regulates the rice drought stress response, which may contribute to the design of molecular breeding methods for rice.

Drought-tolerant wheat for enhancing global food security

Wheat is among the most produced grain crops of the world and alone provides a fifth of the world's calories and protein. Wheat has played a key role in food security since the crop served as a Neolithic founder crop for the establishment of world agriculture. Projections showing a decline in global wheat yields in changing climates imply that food security targets could be jeopardized. Increased frequency and intensity of drought occurrence is evident in major wheat-producing regions worldwide, and notably, the wheat-producing area under drought is projected to swell globally by 60% by the end of the 21st century. Wheat yields are significantly reduced due to changes in plant morphological, physiological, biochemical, and molecular activities in response to drought stress. Advances in wheat genetics, multi-omics technologies and plant phenotyping have enhanced the understanding of crop responses to drought conditions. Research has elucidated key genomic regions, candidate genes, signalling molecules and associated networks that orchestrate tolerance mechanisms under drought stress. Robust and low-cost selection tools are now available in wheat for screening genetic variations for drought tolerance traits. New breeding techniques and selection tools open a unique opportunity to tailor future wheat crop with optimal trait combinations that help withstand extreme drought. Adoption of the new wheat varieties will increase crop diversity in rain-fed agriculture and ensure sustainable improvements in crop yields to safeguard the world's food security in drier environments.

ROS as Signaling Molecules to Initiate the Process of Plant Acclimatization to Abiotic Stress

During their life cycle, plants constantly respond to environmental changes. Abiotic stressors affect the photosynthetic and respiratory processes of plants. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are produced during aerobic metabolism and play an important role as regulatory mediators in signaling processes, activating the plant's protective response to abiotic stress and restoring "oxidation-reduction homeostasis". Cells develop normally if the rates of ROS production and the ability to neutralize them are balanced. To implement oxidation-reduction signaling, this balance must be disrupted either by an increase in ROS concentration or a decrease in the activity of one or more antioxidant systems. Under abiotic stress, plants accumulate excessive amounts of ROS, and if the ROS content exceeds the threshold amount dangerous for living organisms, it can lead to damage to all major cellular components. Adaptive resistance of plants to abiotic stressors depends on a set of mechanisms of adaptation to them. The accumulation of ROS in the cell depends on the type of abiotic stress, the strength of its impact on the plant, the duration of its impact, and the recovery period. The aim of this review is to provide a general understanding of the processes occurring during ROS homeostasis in plants, oxidation-reduction processes in cellular compartments in response to abiotic stress, and the participation of ROS in signaling processes activating adaptation processes to abiotic stress.

Transcription factor gene TaWRKY76 confers plants improved drought and salt tolerance through modulating stress defensive-associated processes in Triticum aestivum L

WRKY transcription factor (TF) family acts as essential regulators in plant growth and abiotic stress responses. This study reported the function of TaWRKY76, a member of WRKY TF family in Triticum aestivum L., in regulating plant osmotic stress tolerance. TaWRKY76 transcripts were significantly upregulated upon drought and salt signaling, with dose extent- and stress temporal-dependent manners. Plant GUS activity assays suggested that stress responsive cis-acting elements, such as DRE and ABRE, exert essential roles in defining gene transcription under osmotic stress conditions. The TaWRKY76 protein targeted onto nucleus and possessed ability interacting with TaMYC2, a MYC TF member of wheat. TaWRKY76 and TaMYC2 positively regulated plant drought and salt adaptation by modulating osmotic stress-related physiological indices, including osmolyte contents, stomata movement, root morphology, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) homeostasis. Yeast one-hybrid assay indicated the binding ability of TaWRKY76 with promoters of TaDREB1;1, TaNCEB3, and TaCOR15;4. ChIP-PCR analysis confirmed that the osmotic stress genes are transcriptionally regulated by TaWRKY76. Moreover, the transgenic lines with knockdown of these stress-response genes displayed lowered plant biomass together with worsened root growth traits, decreased proline contents, and elevated ROS amounts. These results suggested that these stress defensive genes contributed to TaWRKY76-modulated osmotic stress tolerance. Highly positive correlations were observed between yield and the transcripts of TaWRKY76 in a wheat variety panel under field drought condition. A major haplotype TaWRKY76 Hap1 conferred improved drought tolerance. Our results suggested that TaWRKY76 is essential in plant drought and salt adaptation and a valuable target for molecular breeding stress-tolerant cultivars in Triticum aestivum L..

Metabolomics combined with transcriptomics and physiology reveals the regulatory responses of soybean plants to drought stress

Drought, a prevalent environmental stressor, has had significant consequences on soybean (Glycine max L.), notably impeding its growth and production. Therefore, it is crucial to gain insight into the regulatory responses of soybean plants exposed to drought stress during soybean flowering in the field. In this study, the cultivar 'Liaodou 15' was performed light drought (LD, 24.3% soil moisture content), moderate drought (MD, 20.6% soil moisture content) and severe drought (SD, 16.9% soil moisture content) treatments at flowering stages of soybean and then rehydrated (30% soil moisture content) until harvest. The yield-related indicators were measured and revealed that MD and SD treatments significantly reduced 6.3% and 10.8% of the 100-grain weight. Soybean plants subjected to three drought stresses showed that net photosynthetic rates were 20.8%, 51.5% and 71.8% lower in LD, MD and SD than that of CK. The WUE increased by 31.8%, 31.5% and 18.8% under three drought stress treatments compared to CK. In addition, proline content was 25.94%, 41.01% and 65.43% greater than that of CK under three drought stress treatments. The trend of the MDA content was consistent with that of the proline content. SOD activity was significantly increasing by 10.86%, 46.73% and 14.54% under three drought stress treatments. The activity of CAT in the SD treatment increased by 49.28%. All the indices recovered after rehydration. Furthermore, 54,78 and 51 different expressed metabolomics (DEMs) were identified in the LDCK/LD, MDCK/MD and SDCK/SD groups, respectively. There were 1,211, 1,265 and 1,288 different expressed genes (DEGs) were upregulated and 1,003, 1,819 and 1,747 DEGs were downregulated. Finally, combined transcriptomic and metabolomic analysis suggested that 437 DEGs and 24 DEMs of LDCK/LD group, 741 DEGs and 35 DEMs of MDCK/MD group, 633 DEGs and 23 DEMs of SDCK/SD group, were highly positively correlated in soybean plants under drought stress. Drought stress induced the expression of the PAO1, PAO4, PAO5 and P5CS genes to promote the accumulation of spermidine and proline. Our study elucidates the responses of drought-stressed soybean plants in the field and provides a genetic basis for the breeding of drought-tolerant soybean plants.

Drought Tolerance in Plants: Physiological and Molecular Responses

Drought, a significant environmental challenge, presents a substantial risk to worldwide agriculture and the security of food supplies. In response, plants can perceive stimuli from their environment and activate defense pathways via various modulating networks to cope with stress. Drought tolerance, a multifaceted attribute, can be dissected into distinct contributing mechanisms and factors. Osmotic stress, dehydration stress, dysfunction of plasma and endosome membranes, loss of cellular turgidity, inhibition of metabolite synthesis, cellular energy depletion, impaired chloroplast function, and oxidative stress are among the most critical consequences of drought on plant cells. Understanding the intricate interplay of these physiological and molecular responses provides insights into the adaptive strategies plants employ to navigate through drought stress. Plant cells express various mechanisms to withstand and reverse the cellular effects of drought stress. These mechanisms include osmotic adjustment to preserve cellular turgor, synthesis of protective proteins like dehydrins, and triggering antioxidant systems to counterbalance oxidative stress. A better understanding of drought tolerance is crucial for devising specific methods to improve crop resilience and promote sustainable agricultural practices in environments with limited water resources. This review explores the physiological and molecular responses employed by plants to address the challenges of drought stress.

Regulation of a single inositol 1-phosphate synthase homeologue by HSFA6B contributes to fibre yield maintenance under drought conditions in upland cotton

Drought stress substantially impacts crop physiology resulting in alteration of growth and productivity. Understanding the genetic and molecular crosstalk between stress responses and agronomically important traits such as fibre yield is particularly complicated in the allopolyploid species, upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum), due to reduced sequence variability between A and D subgenomes. To better understand how drought stress impacts yield, the transcriptomes of 22 genetically and phenotypically diverse upland cotton accessions grown under well-watered and water-limited conditions in the Arizona low desert were sequenced. Gene co-expression analyses were performed, uncovering a group of stress response genes, in particular transcription factors GhDREB2A-A and GhHSFA6B-D, associated with improved yield under water-limited conditions in an ABA-independent manner. DNA affinity purification sequencing (DAP-seq), as well as public cistrome data from Arabidopsis, were used to identify targets of these two TFs. Among these targets were two lint yield-associated genes previously identified through genome-wide association studies (GWAS)-based approaches, GhABP-D and GhIPS1-A. Biochemical and phylogenetic approaches were used to determine that GhIPS1-A is positively regulated by GhHSFA6B-D, and that this regulatory mechanism is specific to Gossypium spp. containing the A (old world) genome. Finally, an SNP was identified within the GhHSFA6B-D binding site in GhIPS1-A that is positively associated with yield under water-limiting conditions. These data lay out a regulatory connection between abiotic stress and fibre yield in cotton that appears conserved in other systems such as Arabidopsis.

Integrated PacBio SMRT and Illumina sequencing uncovers transcriptional and physiological responses to drought stress in whole-plant Nitraria tangutorum

Introduction

Nitraria tangutorum Bobr., a prominent xerophytic shrub, exhibits remarkable adaptability to harsh environment and plays a significant part in preventing desertification in northwest China owing to its exceptional drought and salinity tolerance.

Methods

To investigate the drought-resistant mechanism underlying N. tangutorum, we treated 8-week-old seedlings with polyethylene glycol (PEG)-6000 (20%, m/m) to induce drought stress. 27 samples from different tissues (leaves, roots and stems) of N. tangutorum at 0, 6 and 24 h after drought stress treatment were sequenced using PacBio single-molecule real-time (SMRT) sequencing and Illumina RNA sequencing to obtain a comprehensive transcriptome.

Results

The PacBio SMRT sequencing generated 44,829 non-redundant transcripts and provided valuable reference gene information. In leaves, roots and stems, we identified 1162, 2024 and 232 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), respectively. The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis revealed that plant hormone signaling and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascade played a pivotal role in transmitting stress signals throughout the whole N. tangutorum plant following drought stress. The interconversion of starch and sucrose, as well as the biosynthesis of amino acid and lignin, may represent adaptive strategies employed by N. tangutorum to effectively cope with drought. Transcription factor analysis showed that AP2/ERF-ERF, WRKY, bHLH, NAC and MYB families were mainly involved in the regulation of drought response genes. Furthermore, eight physiological indexes, including content of proline, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), malondialdehyde (MDA), total amino acid and soluble sugar, and activities of three antioxidant enzymes were all investigate after PEG treatment, elucidating the drought tolerance mechanism from physiological perspective. The weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) identified several hub genes serve as key regulator in response to drought through hormone participation, ROS cleavage, glycolysis, TF regulation in N. tangutorum.

Discussion

These findings enlarge genomic resources and facilitate research in the discovery of novel genes research in N. tangutorum, thereby establishing a foundation for investigating the drought resistance mechanism of xerophyte.

Transcriptome Profiling Identifies Plant Hormone Signaling Pathway-Related Genes and Transcription Factors in the Drought and Re-Watering Response of Ginkgo biloba

Ginkgo biloba, usually referred to as a "living fossil," is widely planted in many countries because of its medicinal value and beautiful appearance. Owing to ginkgo's high resistance to drought stress, ginkgo seedlings can even survive withholding water for several days without exhibiting leaf wilting and desiccation. To assess the physiological and transcriptomic mechanisms involved in the drought stress and re-watering responses of Ginkgo biloba, ginkgo seedlings were subjected to drought treatment for 15 d (D_15 d) and 22 d (D_22 d) until they had severely wilted, followed by re-watering for 3 d (D_Re3 d) to restore normal growth. Variations in physiological characteristics (relative water content, malondialdehyde (MDA) content, stomatal aperture, and antioxidant enzyme activity) during drought and re-watering were assessed. In total, 1692, 2031, and 1038 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were upregulated, while 1691, 2820, and 1910 were downregulated in D_15 d, D_22 d, and D_Re3 d, respectively, relative to the control. Three pathways, namely, plant hormone signal transduction, plant-pathogen interaction, and the plant MAPK signaling pathway, were enriched during drought stress and re-watering. The DEGs involved in plant hormone signal transduction pathways (those of IAA, CTK, GA, ABA, ETH, BR, SA, and JA) and the major differentially expressed transcription factors (TFs; MYB, bHLH, AP2/ERF, NAC, WRKY, and bZIP) were identified. Quantitative real-time PCR revealed six TFs as positive or negative regulators of drought stress response. These phenotype-related physiological characteristics, DEGs, pathways, and TFs provide valuable insights into the drought stress and re-watering responses in G. biloba.

Bridging gaps and seeding futures: A synthesis of soil salinization and the role of plant-soil interactions under climate change

Soil salinization, exacerbated by climate change, poses significant threats to agricultural productivity, land restoration, and ecosystem resilience. This study reviews current knowledge on plant-soil interactions as a strategy to mitigate soil salinization induced by climate change, focusing on their role in soil salinity dynamics and tolerance mechanisms. The review examines how alterations in hydrological and temperature regimes impact soil salinity and how plant-soil mechanisms-such as salt exclusion, compartmentalization, and plant-microbe interactions-contribute to salinity mitigation. This, in turn, enhances soil quality, fertility, microbial diversity, and ecosystem services. The analysis identifies a growing body of research and highlights key themes and emerging trends, including drought, microbial communities, and salt tolerance strategies. This study underscores the critical role of plant-soil interactions in sustainable salinity management and identifies knowledge gaps and future research priorities, advocating for plant-soil interactions as a crucial pathway for improving ecosystem resilience to salinity stress amid climate change.

A Bamboo HD-Zip Transcription Factor PeHDZ72 Conferred Drought Tolerance by Promoting Sugar and Water Transport

Drought drastically affects plant growth, development and productivity. Plants respond to drought stress by enhancing sugar accumulation and water transport. Homeodomain-leucine zipper (HD-Zip) transcription factors (TFs) participate in various aspects of plant growth and stress response. However, the internal regulatory mechanism of HD-Zips in moso bamboo (Phyllostachys edulis) remains largely unknown. In this study, we identified an HD-Zip member, PeHDZ72, which was highly expressed in bamboo shoots and roots and was induced by drought. Furthermore, PeSTP_46019, PeSWEET_23178 and PeTIP4-3 were identified as downstream genes of PeHDZ72 in moso bamboo by DAP-seq. The expressions of these three genes were all induced by drought stress. Y1H, DLR and GUS activity assays demonstrated that PeHDZ72 could bind to three types of HD-motifs in the promoters of these three genes. Overexpression of PeHDZ72 led to a remarkable enhancement in drought tolerance in transgenic rice, with significantly improved soluble sugar and sucrose contents. Meanwhile, the expressions of OsSTPs, OsSWEETs and OsTIP were all upregulated in transgenic rice under drought stress. Overall, our results indicate that drought stress might induce the expression of PeHDZ72, which in turn activated downstream genes PeSTP_46019, PeSWEET_23178 and PeTIP4-3, contributing to the improvement of cellular osmotic potential in moso bamboo in response to drought stress.

Comparative physiological and transcriptomic analyses reveal genotype specific response to drought stress in Siberian wildrye (Elymus sibiricus)

Siberian wildrye (Elymus sibiricus) is a xero-mesophytic forage grass with high nutritional quality and stress tolerance. Among its numerous germplasm resources, some possess superior drought resistance. In this study, we firstly investigated the physiological differences between the leaves of drought-tolerant (DT) and drought-sensitive (DS) genotypes under different field water contents (FWC) in soil culture. The results showed that, under drought stress, DT maintained a lower leaf water potential for water absorption, sustained higher photosynthetic efficiency, and reduced oxidative damage in leaves by efficiently maintaining the ascorbic acid-glutathione (ASA-GSH) cycle to scavenge reactive oxygen species (ROS) compared to DS. Secondly, using RNA sequencing (RNA-seq), we analyzed the gene expression profiles of DT and DS leaves under osmotic stress of hydroponics induced by PEG-6000. Through differential analysis, we identified 1226 candidate unigenes, from which we subsequently screened out 115/212 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) that were more quickly induced/reduced in DT than in DS under osmotic stress. Among them, Unigene0005863 (EsSnRK2), Unigene0053902 (EsLRK10) and Unigene0031985 (EsCIPK5) may be involved in stomatal closure induced by abscisic acid (ABA) signaling pathway. Unigene0047636 (EsCER1) may positively regulates the synthesis of very-long-chain (VLC) alkanes in cuticular wax biosynthesis, influencing plant responses to abiotic stresses. Finally, the contents of wax and cutin were measured by GC-MS under osmotic stress of hydroponics induced by PEG-6000. Corresponding to RNA-seq, contents of wax monomers, especially alkanes and alcohols, showed significant induction by osmotic stress in DT but not in DS. It is suggested that limiting stomatal and cuticle transpiration under drought stress to maintain higher photosynthetic efficiency and water use efficiency (WUE) is one of the critical mechanisms that confer stronger drought resistance to DT. This study provides some insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying drought tolerance in E. sibiricus. The identified genes may provide a foundation for the selection and breeding of drought-tolerant crops.

Synergistic Interaction Between PbbZIP88 and PbSRK2E Enhances Drought Resistance in Pear Through Regulation of PbATL18 Expression and Stomatal Closure

Drought poses significant challenges to agricultural production, ecological stability and global food security. While wild pear trees exhibit strong drought resistance, cultivated varieties show weaker drought tolerance. This study aims to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying pear trees' response to drought stress. We identified a drought resistance-related transcription factor, PbbZIP88, which binds to and activates the expression of the drought-responsive gene PbATL18. Overexpression of PbbZIP88 in Arabidopsis and pear seedlings resulted in enhanced drought resistance and significantly improved physiological parameters under drought stress. We discovered that PbbZIP88 interacts with the key protein PbSRK2E in the ABA signalling pathway. This interaction enhances PbbZIP88's ability to activate PbATL18 expression, leading to higher levels of PbATL18. Furthermore, the PbbZIP88 and PbSRK2E interaction accelerates the regulation of stomatal closure under ABA treatment conditions, reducing water loss more effectively. Experimental evidence showed that silencing PbbZIP88 and PbSRK2E genes significantly decreased drought resistance in pear seedlings. In conclusion, this study reveals the synergistic role of PbbZIP88 and PbSRK2E in enhancing drought resistance in pear trees, particularly in the upregulation of PbATL18 expression, and the accelerated promotion of stomatal closure. These findings provide new candidate genes for breeding drought-resistant varieties and offer a theoretical foundation and technical support for achieving sustainable agriculture.

GhJUB1_3-At positively regulate drought and salt stress tolerance under control of GhHB7, GhRAP2-3 and GhRAV1 in Cotton

Climate change severely affects crop production. Cotton is one of the primary fiber crops in the world and its production is susceptible to various environmental stresses, especially drought and salinity. Development of stress tolerant genotypes is the only way to escape from these environmental constraints. We identified sixteen homologs of the Arabidopsis JUB1 gene in cotton. Expression of GhJUB1_3-At was significantly induced in the temporal expression analysis of GhJUB1 genes in the roots of drought tolerant (H177) and susceptible (S9612) cotton genotypes under drought. The silencing of the GhJUB1_3-At gene alone and together with its paralogue GhJUB1_3-Dt reduced the drought tolerance in cotton plants. The transgenic lines exhibited tolerance to the drought and salt stress as compared to the wildtype (WT). The chlorophyll and relative water contents of wildtype decreased under drought as compared to the transgenic lines. The transgenic lines showed decreased H2O2 and increased proline levels under drought and salt stress, as compared to the WT, indicating that the transgenic lines have drought and salt stress tolerance. The expression analysis of the transgenic lines and WT revealed that GAI was upregulated in the transgenic lines in normal conditions as compared to the WT. Under drought and salt treatment, RAB18 and RD29A were strongly upregulated in the transgenic lines as compared to the WT. Conclusively, GhJUB1_3-At is not an auto activator and it is regulated by the crosstalk of GhHB7, GhRAP2-3 and GhRAV1. GhRAV1, a negative regulator of abiotic stress tolerance and positive regulator of leaf senescence, suppresses the expression of GhJUB1_3-At under severe circumstances leading to plant death.

Genetic, molecular and physiological crosstalk during drought tolerance in maize (Zea mays): pathways to resilient agriculture

MAIN CONCLUSION

This review comprehensively elucidates maize drought tolerance mechanisms, vital for global food security. It highlights genetic networks, key genes, CRISPR-Cas applications, and physiological responses, guiding resilient variety development. Maize, a globally significant crop, confronts the pervasive challenge of drought stress, impacting its growth and yield significantly. Drought, an important abiotic stress, triggers a spectrum of alterations encompassing maize's morphological, biochemical, and physiological dimensions. Unraveling and understanding these mechanisms assumes paramount importance for ensuring global food security. Approaches like developing drought-tolerant varieties and harnessing genomic and molecular applications emerge as effective measures to mitigate the negative effects of drought. The multifaceted nature of drought tolerance in maize has been unfolded through complex genetic networks. Additionally, quantitative trait loci mapping and genome-wide association studies pinpoint key genes associated with drought tolerance, influencing morphophysiological traits and yield. Furthermore, transcription factors like ZmHsf28, ZmNAC20, and ZmNF-YA1 play pivotal roles in drought response through hormone signaling, stomatal regulation, and gene expression. Genes, such as ZmSAG39, ZmRAFS, and ZmBSK1, have been reported to be pivotal in enhancing drought tolerance through diverse mechanisms. Integration of CRISPR-Cas9 technology, targeting genes like gl2 and ZmHDT103, emerges as crucial for precise genetic enhancement, highlighting its role in safeguarding global food security amid pervasive drought challenges. Thus, decoding the genetic and molecular underpinnings of drought tolerance in maize sheds light on its resilience and paves the way for cultivating robust and climate-smart varieties, thus safeguarding global food security amid climate challenges. This comprehensive review covers quantitative trait loci mapping, genome-wide association studies, key genes and functions, CRISPR-Cas applications, transcription factors, physiological responses, signaling pathways, offering a nuanced understanding of intricate mechanisms involved in maize drought tolerance.

Lentil adaptation to drought stress: response, tolerance, and breeding approaches

Lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) is a cool season legume crop that plays vital roles in food and nutritional security, mostly in the least developed countries. Lentil is often cultivated in dry and semi-dry regions, where the primary abiotic factor is drought, which negatively impacts lentil growth and development, resulting in a reduction of yield. To withstand drought-induced multiple negative effects, lentil plants evolved a variety of adaptation strategies that can be classified within three broad categories of drought tolerance mechanisms (i.e., escape, avoidance, and tolerance). Lentil adapts to drought by the modulation of various traits in the root system, leaf architecture, canopy structure, branching, anatomical features, and flowering process. Furthermore, the activation of certain defensive biochemical pathways as well as the regulation of gene functions contributes to lentil drought tolerance. Plant breeders typically employ conventional and mutational breeding approaches to develop lentil varieties that can withstand drought effects; however, little progress has been made in developing drought-tolerant lentil varieties using genomics-assisted technologies. This review highlights the current understanding of morpho-physiological, biochemical, and molecular mechanisms of lentil adaptation to drought stress. We also discuss the potential application of omics-assisted breeding approaches to develop lentil varieties with superior drought tolerance traits.

Genome-wide mapping of DNase I hypersensitive sites revealed differential chromatin accessibility and regulatory DNA elements under drought stress in rice cultivars

Drought stress (DS) is one of the major constraints limiting yield in crop plants including rice. Gene regulation under DS is largely governed by accessibility of the transcription factors (TFs) to their cognate cis-regulatory elements (CREs). In this study, we used DNase I hypersensitive assays followed by sequencing to identify the accessible chromatin regions under DS in a drought-sensitive (IR64) and a drought-tolerant (N22) rice cultivar. Our results indicated that DNase I hypersensitive sites (DHSs) were highly enriched at transcription start sites (TSSs) and numerous DHSs were detected in the promoter regions. DHSs were concurrent with epigenetic marks and the genes harboring DHSs in their TSS and promoter regions were highly expressed. In addition, DS induced changes in DHSs (∆DHSs) in TSS and promoter regions were positively correlated with upregulation of several genes involved in drought/abiotic stress response, those encoding TFs and located within drought-associated quantitative trait loci, much preferentially in the drought-tolerant cultivar. The CREs representing the binding sites of TFs involved in DS response were detected within the ∆DHSs, suggesting differential accessibility of TFs to their cognate sites under DS in different rice cultivars, which may be further deployed for enhancing drought tolerance in rice.

Integrated analysis of yield response and early stage biochemical, molecular, and gene expression profiles of pre-breeding rice lines under water deficit stress

Breeding high yielding water-deficit tolerant rice is considered a primary goal for achieving the objectives of the sustainable development goals, 2030. However, evaluating the performance of the pre-breeding-promising parental-lines for water deficit tolerance prior to their incorporation in the breeding program is crucial for the success of the breeding programs. The aim of the current investigation is to assess the performance of a set of pre-breeding lines compared with their parents. To achieve this goal a set of 7 pre-breeding rice lines along with their parents (5 genotypes) were field evaluated under well-irrigated and water-stress conditions. Water stress was applied by flush irrigation every 12 days without keeping standing water after irrigation. Based on the field evaluation results, a pre-breeding line was selected to conduct physiological and expression analysis of drought related genes at the green house. Furthermore, a greenhouse trial was conducted in pots, where the genotypes were grown under well and stress irrigation conditions at seedling stage for physiological analysis and expression profiling of the genotypes. Results indicated that the pre-breeding lines which were high yielding under water shortage stress showed low drought susceptibility index. Those lines exhibited high proline, SOD, TSS content along with low levels of MDA content in their leaves. Moreover, the genotypes grain yield positively correlated with proline, SOD, TSS content in their leaves. The SSR markers RM22, RM525, RM324 and RM3805 were able to discriminate the tolerant parents from the sensitive one. Expression levels of the tested drought responsive genes revealed the upregulation of OsLEA3, OsAPX2, OsNAC1, OSDREB2A, OsDREB1C, OsZIP23, OsP5CS, OsAHL1 and OsCATA genes in response to water deficit stress as compared to their expression under normal irrigated condition. Taken together among the tested pre-breeding lines the RBL112 pre-breeding line is high yielding under water-deficit and could be used as donor for high yielding genes in the breeding for water deficit resistance. This investigation withdraws attention to evaluate the promising pre-breeding lines before their incorporation in the water deficit stress breeding program.

Comprehensive analysis of B3 family genes in pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum) and the negative regulator role of PgRAV-04 in drought tolerance

Introduction

Members of the plant-specific B3 transcription factor superfamily play crucial roles in various plant growth and developmental processes. Despite numerous valuable studies on B3 genes in other species, little is known about the B3 superfamily in pearl millet.

Methods and results

Here, through comparative genomic analysis, we identified 70 B3 proteins in pearl millet and categorized them into four subfamilies based on phylogenetic affiliations: ARF, RAV, LAV, and REM. We also mapped the chromosomal locations of these proteins and analyzed their gene structures, conserved motifs, and gene duplication events, providing new insights into their potential functional interactions. Using transcriptomic sequencing and real-time quantitative PCR, we determined that most PgB3 genes exhibit upregulated expression under drought and high-temperature stresses, indicating their involvement in stress response regulation. To delve deeper into the abiotic stress roles of the B3 family, we focused on a specific gene within the RAV subfamily, PgRAV-04, cloning it and overexpressing it in tobacco. PgRAV-04 overexpression led to increased drought sensitivity in the transgenic plants due to decreased proline levels and peroxidase activity.

Discussion

This study not only adds to the existing body of knowledge on the B3 family's characteristics but also advances our functional understanding of the PgB3 genes in pearl millet, reinforcing the significance of these factors in stress adaptation mechanisms.

Chitosan-fulvic acid nanoparticles enhance drought tolerance in maize via antioxidant defense and transcriptional reprogramming

Nanoparticles are promising alternatives to synthetic fertilizers in the context of climate change and sustainable agriculture. Maize plants were grown under gradient concentrations (50 μM, 100 μM, 200 μM, 500 μM, and 1 mM) of chitosan (Ch), fulvic acid (FA) or chitosan-fulvic acid nanoparticles (Ch-FANPs). Based on the overall phenotypic assessment, 100 μM was selected for downstream experiments. Maize plants grown under this optimized concentration were thereafter subjected to drought stress by water withholding for 14 days. Compared to the individual performances, the combined treatment of Ch-FANPs supported the best plant growth over chitosan, fulvic acid, or sole watered plants and alleviated the adverse effects of drought by enhancing root and shoot growth, and biomass by an average 20%. In addition, Ch-FANPs-treated plants exhibited a significant reduction in hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) content (~10%), with a concomitant increase in ascorbate peroxidase (APX) activity (>100%) while showing a reduced lipid peroxidation level observed by the decrease in malondialdehyde (MDA) content (~100%) and low electrolyte leakage level. Furthermore, chlorophyll content increased significantly (>100%) in maize plants treated with Ch-FANPs compared to Ch or FA and control in response to drought. The expression of drought-induced transcription factors, ZmDREB1A, ZmbZIP1, and ZmNAC28, and the ABA-dependent ZmCIPK3 was upregulated by Ch-FANPs. Owing to the above, Ch-FANPs are proposed as a growth-promoting agent and elicitor of drought tolerance in maize via activation of antioxidant machinery and transcriptional reprogramming of drought-related genes.

A CAM-Related NF-YB Transcription Factor Enhances Multiple Abiotic Stress Tolerance in Arabidopsis

Abiotic stresses often occur simultaneously, and the tolerance mechanisms of plants to combined multiple abiotic stresses remain poorly studied. Extremophytes, adapted to abiotic stressors, might possess stress-adaptive or -responsive regulators that could enhance multiple abiotic stress resistance in crop plants. We identified an NF-YB transcription factor (TF) from the heat-tolerant obligate Crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) plant, Kalanchoe fedtschenkoi, as a potential regulator of multiple abiotic stresses. The KfNF-YB3 gene was overexpressed in Arabidopsis to determine its role in multiple abiotic stress responses. Transgenic lines exhibited accelerated flowering time, increased biomass, larger rosette size, higher seed yield, and more leaves. Transgenic lines had higher germination rates under combined NaCl, osmotic, and water-deficit stress treatments compared to control plants. They also showed enhanced root growth and survival under simultaneous NaCl, osmotic, water-deficit, and heat stress conditions in vitro. Interestingly, potted transgenic lines had higher survival rates, yield, and biomass under simultaneous heat, water-deficit, and light stresses compared to control plants. Altogether, these results provide initial insights into the functions of a CAM-related TF and its potential roles in regulating multiple abiotic stress responses. The CAM abiotic stress-responsive TF-based approach appears to be an ideal strategy to enhance multi-stress resilience in crop plants.

Comparative Cytological and Gene Expression Analysis Reveals That a Common Wild Rice Inbred Line Showed Stronger Drought Tolerance Compared with the Cultivar Rice

Common wild rice (Oryza rufipogon Griff.) is an important germplasm resource containing valuable genes. Our previous analysis reported a stable wild rice inbred line, Huaye3, which derives from the common wild rice of Guangdong Province. However, there was no information about its drought tolerance ability. Here, we assessed the germination characteristics and seedling growth between the Dawennuo and Huaye3 under five concentrations of PEG6000 treatment (0, 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20%). Huaye3 showed a stronger drought tolerance ability, and its seed germination rate still reached more than 52.50% compared with Dawennuo, which was only 25.83% under the 20% PEG6000 treatment. Cytological observations between the Dawennuo and Huaye3 indicated the root tip elongation zone and buds of Huaye3 were less affected by the PEG6000 treatment, resulting in a lower percentage of abnormalities of cortical cells, stele, and shrinkage of epidermal cells. Using the re-sequencing analysis, we detected 13,909 genes that existed in the genetic variation compared with Dawennuo. Of these genes, 39 were annotated as drought stress-related genes and their variance existed in the CDS region. Our study proved the strong drought stress tolerance ability of Huaye3, which provides the theoretical basis for the drought resistance germplasm selection in rice.

Genome-Wide Identification, Characterisation, and Evolution of the Transcription Factor WRKY in Grapevine (Vitis vinifera): New View and Update

WRKYs are a multigenic family of transcription factors that are plant-specific and involved in the regulation of plant development and various stress response processes. However, the evolution of WRKY genes is not fully understood. This family has also been incompletely studied in grapevine, and WRKY genes have been named with different numbers in different studies, leading to great confusion. In this work, 62 Vitis vinifera WRKY genes were identified based on six genomes of different cultivars. All WRKY genes were numbered according to their chromosomal location, and a complete revision of the numbering was performed. Amino acid variability between different cultivars was assessed for the first time and was greater than 5% for some WRKYs. According to the gene structure, all WRKYs could be divided into two groups: more exons/long length and fewer exons/short length. For the first time, some chimeric WRKY genes were found in grapevine, which may play a specific role in the regulation of different processes: VvWRKY17 (an N-terminal signal peptide region followed by a non-cytoplasmic domain) and VvWRKY61 (Frigida-like domain). Five phylogenetic clades A-E were revealed and correlated with the WRKY groups (I, II, III). The evolution of WRKY was studied, and we proposed a WRKY evolution model where there were two dynamic phases of complexity and simplification in the evolution of WRKY.

Response of photosynthetic characteristics and antioxidant system in the leaves of safflower to NaCl and NaHCO3

KEY MESSAGE

Compared with NaCl, NaHCO3 caused more serious oxidative damage and photosynthesis inhibition in safflower by down-regulating the expression of related genes. Salt-alkali stress is one of the important factors that limit plant growth. NaCl and sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) are neutral and alkaline salts, respectively. This study investigated the physiological characteristics and molecular responses of safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) leaves treated with 200 mmol L-1 of NaCl or NaHCO3. The plants treated with NaCl treatment were less effective at inhibiting the growth of safflower, but increased the content of malondialdehyde (MDA) in leaves. Meanwhile, safflower alleviated stress damage by increasing proline (Pro), soluble protein (SP), and soluble sugar (SS). Both fresh weight and dry weight of safflower was severely decreased when it was subjected to NaHCO3 stress, and there was a significant increase in the permeability of cell membranes and the contents of osmotic regulatory substances. An enrichment analysis of the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) using Gene Ontology and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes identified significant enrichment of photosynthesis and pathways related to oxidative stress. Furthermore, a weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) showed that the darkgreen module had the highest correlation with photosynthesis and oxidative stress traits. Large numbers of transcription factors, primarily from the MYB, GRAS, WRKY, and C2H2 families, were predicted from the genes within the darkgreen module. An analysis of physiological indicators and DEGs, it was found that under saline-alkali stress, genes related to chlorophyll synthesis enzymes were downregulated, while those related to degradation were upregulated, resulting in inhibited chlorophyll biosynthesis and decreased chlorophyll content. Additionally, NaCl and NaHCO3 stress downregulated the expression of genes related to the Calvin cycle, photosynthetic antenna proteins, and the activity of photosynthetic reaction centers to varying degrees, hindering the photosynthetic electron transfer process, suppressing photosynthesis, with NaHCO3 stress causing more pronounced adverse effects. In terms of oxidative stress, the level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) did not change significantly under the NaCl treatment, but the contents of hydrogen peroxide and the rate of production of superoxide anions increased significantly under NaHCO3 stress. In addition, treatment with NaCl upregulated the levels of expression of the key genes for superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POD), the ascorbate-glutathione cycle, and the thioredoxin-peroxiredoxin pathway, and increased the activity of these enzymes, thus, reducing oxidative damage. Similarly, NaHCO3 stress increased the activities of SOD, CAT, and POD and the content of ascorbic acid and initiated the glutathione-S-transferase pathway to remove excess ROS but suppressed the regeneration of glutathione and the activity of peroxiredoxin. Overall, both neutral and alkaline salts inhibited the photosynthetic process of safflower, although alkaline salt caused a higher level of stress than neutral salt. Safflower alleviated the oxidative damage induced by stress by regulating its antioxidant system.

Transgenerational Seed Exposure to Elevated CO2 Involves Stress Memory Regulation at Metabolic Levels to Confer Drought Resistance in Wheat

Drought is the worst environmental stress constraint that inflicts heavy losses to global food production, such as wheat. The metabolic responses of seeds produced overtransgenerational exposure to e[CO2] to recover drought's effects on wheat are still unexplored. Seeds were produced constantly for four generations (F1 to F4) under ambient CO2 (a[CO2], 400 μmol L-1) and elevated CO2 (e[CO2], 800 μmol L-1) concentrations, and then further regrown under natural CO2 conditions to investigate their effects on the stress memory metabolic processes liable for increasing drought resistance in the next generation (F5). At the anthesis stage, plants were subjected to normal (100% FC, field capacity) and drought stress (60% FC) conditions. Under drought stress, plants of transgenerational e[CO2] exposed seeds showed markedly increased superoxide dismutase (16%), catalase (24%), peroxidase (9%), total antioxidants (14%), and proline (35%) levels that helped the plants to sustain normal growth through scavenging of hydrogen peroxide (11%) and malondialdehyde (26%). The carbohydrate metabolic enzymes such as aldolase (36%), phosphoglucomutase (12%), UDP-glucose pyrophosphorylase (25%), vacuolar invertase (33%), glucose-6-phosphate-dehydrogenase (68%), and cell wall invertase (17%) were decreased significantly; however, transgenerational seeds produced under e[CO2] showed a considerable increase in their activities in drought-stressed wheat plants. Moreover, transgenerational e[CO2] exposed seeds under drought stress caused a marked increase in leaf Ψw (15%), chlorophyll a (19%), chlorophyll b (8%), carotenoids (12%), grain spike (16%), hundred grain weight (19%), and grain yield (10%). Hence, transgenerational seeds exposed to e[CO2] upregulate the drought recovery metabolic processes to improve the grain yield of wheat under drought stress conditions.

Gene expression analysis of drought tolerance and cuticular wax biosynthesis in diploid and tetraploid induced wallflowers

Whole-genome doubling leads to cell reprogramming, upregulation of stress genes, and establishment of new pathways of drought stress responses in plants. This study investigated the molecular mechanisms of drought tolerance and cuticular wax characteristics in diploid and tetraploid-induced Erysimum cheiri. According to real-time PCR analysis, tetraploid induced wallflowers exhibited increased expression of several genes encoding transcription factors (TFs), including AREB1 and AREB3; the stress response genes RD29A and ERD1 under drought stress conditions. Furthermore, two cuticular wax biosynthetic pathway genes, CER1 and SHN1, were upregulated in tetraploid plants under drought conditions. Leaf morphological studies revealed that tetraploid leaves were covered with unique cuticular wax crystalloids, which produced a white fluffy appearance, while the diploid leaves were green and smooth. The greater content of epicuticular wax in tetraploid leaves than in diploid leaves can explain the decrease in cuticle permeability as well as the decrease in water loss and improvement in drought tolerance in wallflowers. GC‒MS analysis revealed that the wax components included alkanes, alcohols, aldehydes, and fatty acids. The most abundant wax compound in this plant was alkanes (50%), the most predominant of which was C29. The relative abundance of these compounds increased significantly in tetraploid plants under drought stress conditions. These findings revealed that tetraploid-induced wallflowers presented upregulation of multiple drought-related and wax biosynthesis genes; therefore, polyploidization has proved useful for improving plant drought tolerance.

Integrative physiology and transcriptome reveal salt-tolerance differences between two licorice species: Ion transport, Casparian strip formation and flavonoids biosynthesis

BACKGROUND

Glycyrrhiza inflata Bat. and Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch. are both original plants of 'Gan Cao' in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia, and G. uralensis is currently the mainstream variety of licorice and has a long history of use in traditional Chinese medicine. Both of these species have shown some degree of tolerance to salinity, G. inflata exhibits higher salt tolerance than G. uralensis and can grow on saline meadow soils and crusty saline soils. However, the regulatory mechanism responsible for the differences in salt tolerance between different licorice species is unclear. Due to land area-related limitations, the excavation and cultivation of licorice varieties in saline-alkaline areas that both exhibit tolerance to salt and contain highly efficient active substances are needed. The systematic identification of the key genes and pathways associated with the differences in salt tolerance between these two licorice species will be beneficial for cultivating high-quality salt-tolerant licorice G. uralensis plant varieties and for the long-term development of the licorice industry. In this research, the differences in growth response indicators, ion accumulation, and transcription expression between the two licorice species were analyzed.

RESULTS

This research included a comprehensive comparison of growth response indicators, including biomass, malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, and total flavonoids content, between two distinct licorice species and an analysis of their ion content and transcriptome expression. In contrast to the result found for G. uralensis, the salt treatment of G. inflata ensured the stable accumulation of biomass and total flavonoids at 0.5 d, 15 d, and 30 d and the restriction of Na+ to the roots while allowing for more K+ and Ca2+ accumulation. Notably, despite the increase in the Na+ concentration in the roots, the MDA concentration remained low. Transcriptome analysis revealed that the regulatory effects of growth and ion transport on the two licorice species were strongly correlated with the following pathways and relevant DEGs: the TCA cycle, the pentose phosphate pathway, and the photosynthetic carbon fixation pathway involved in carbon metabolism; Casparian strip formation (lignin oxidation and translocation, suberin formation) in response to Na+; K+ and Ca2+ translocation, organic solute synthesis (arginine, polyamines, GABA) in response to osmotic stresses; and the biosynthesis of the nonenzymatic antioxidants carotenoids and flavonoids in response to antioxidant stress. Furthermore, the differential expression of the DEGs related to ABA signaling in hormone transduction and the regulation of transcription factors such as the HSF and GRAS families may be associated with the remarkable salt tolerance of G. inflata.

CONCLUSION

Compared with G. uralensis, G. inflata exhibits greater salt tolerance, which is primarily attributable to factors related to carbon metabolism, endodermal barrier formation and development, K+ and Ca2+ transport, biosynthesis of carotenoids and flavonoids, and regulation of signal transduction pathways and salt-responsive transcription factors. The formation of the Casparian strip, especially the transport and oxidation of lignin precursors, is likely the primary reason for the markedly higher amount of Na+ in the roots of G. inflata than in those of G. uralensis. The tendency of G. inflata to maintain low MDA levels in its roots under such conditions is closely related to the biosynthesis of flavonoids and carotenoids and the maintenance of the osmotic balance in roots by the absorption of more K+ and Ca2+ to meet growth needs. These findings may provide new insights for developing and cultivating G. uralensis plant species selected for cultivation in saline environments or soils managed through agronomic practices that involve the use of water with a high salt content.

Major transcription factor families at the nexus of regulating abiotic stress response in millets: a comprehensive review

Millets stand out as a sustainable crop with the potential to address the issues of food insecurity and malnutrition. These small-seeded, drought-resistant cereals have adapted to survive a broad spectrum of abiotic stresses. Researchers are keen on unravelling the regulatory mechanisms that empower millets to withstand environmental adversities. The aim is to leverage these identified genetic determinants from millets for enhancing the stress tolerance of major cereal crops through genetic engineering or breeding. This review sheds light on transcription factors (TFs) that govern diverse abiotic stress responses and play role in conferring tolerance to various abiotic stresses in millets. Specifically, the molecular functions and expression patterns of investigated TFs from various families, including bHLH, bZIP, DREB, HSF, MYB, NAC, NF-Y and WRKY, are comprehensively discussed. It also explores the potential of TFs in developing stress-tolerant crops, presenting a comprehensive discussion on diverse strategies for their integration.

Current views of drought research: experimental methods, adaptation mechanisms and regulatory strategies

Drought stress is one of the most important abiotic stresses which causes many yield losses every year. This paper presents a comprehensive review of recent advances in international drought research. First, the main types of drought stress and the commonly used drought stress methods in the current experiment were introduced, and the advantages and disadvantages of each method were evaluated. Second, the response of plants to drought stress was reviewed from the aspects of morphology, physiology, biochemistry and molecular progression. Then, the potential methods to improve drought resistance and recent emerging technologies were introduced. Finally, the current research dilemma and future development direction were summarized. In summary, this review provides insights into drought stress research from different perspectives and provides a theoretical reference for scholars engaged in and about to engage in drought research.

Genome-wide characterization and expression analysis of GATA transcription factors under combination of light wavelengths and drought stress in potato

GATA is one of the prominent transcription factor families conserved among many organisms in eukaryotes and has different biological roles in many pathways, particularly in light regulation in plants. Although GATA transcription factors (TFs) have been identified in different crop species, their roles in abiotic stress tolerance have not been studied in potato. In this study, we identified 32 GATA TFs in potato (Solanum tuberosum) by in silico analyses, and expression levels of selected six genes were investigated in drought-tolerant (Sante) and sensitive (Agria) cultivars under light, drought, and combined (light + drought) stress conditions. According to the phylogenetic results, StGATA TFs were divided into four main groups (I, II, III, and IV) and different sub-groups in I and II (eight and five, respectively). StGATA genes were uniformly localized to each chromosome with a conserved exon/intron structure. The presence of cis-elements within the StGATA family further supported the possible involvement in abiotic stress tolerance and light response, tissue-specific expression, and hormonal regulation. Additional PPI investigations showed that these networks, especially for Groups I, II, and IV, play a significant role in response to light and drought stress. Six StGATAs were chosen from these groups for expressional profiling, and their expression in both Sante and Agria was mainly downregulated under purple and red lights, drought, and combined stress (blue + drought and purple + drought). The interactomes of selected StGATAs, StGATA3, StGATA24, and StGATA29 were analyzed, and the accessions with GATA motifs were checked for expression. The results showed that the target proteins, cyclin-P3-1, SPX domain-containing protein 1, mitochondrial calcium uniporter protein 2, mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase kinase YODA, and splicing factor 3 B subunit 4-like, mainly play a role in phytochrome-mediated stomatal patterning, development, and activity. Understanding the interactions between drought stress and the light response mechanisms in potato plants is essential. It will eventually be possible to enhance potato resilience to climate change by manipulating the TFs that play a role in these pathways.