What Are Some Key Cellular Responses to Drought Stress?
Plants exhibit several cellular responses to cope with drought stress, including:
- Osmotic Adjustment: Cells accumulate solutes to maintain turgor pressure. - Antioxidant Production: Increased production of antioxidants helps in combating oxidative stress caused by drought. - Hormonal Changes: Hormones such as abscisic acid (ABA) play a crucial role in regulating drought responses, including stomatal closure and expression of stress-responsive genes. - Gene Expression: Drought stress induces the expression of a variety of genes involved in stress tolerance, which can be studied using in situ hybridization techniques.
