Cloning and functional validation of salt and cold tolerance genes in Arabidopsis thaliana isolated from wheat

Abstract

newlineThe existence of life on earth depends on the interaction of living organism with the environment. Increasing population, urbanization and a multitude of related factors affect food productivity of crop plants which are the main food factory of the earth. Therefore, major concern of the increasing population is meeting the food demands worldwide, which is directly related to crop productivity. One-third of the total available land is considered suitable for agriculture, but, only 10% of the world s 13 billion hectares are used for cultivation. This is due to abiotic stresses in different forms which is caused especially due to changes in climatic conditions. Plant abiotic stresses include variable temperatures ranging from very low to extremely high; water level shifts ranging from drought to flooding; extreme soil salinity, low quantities of rainfall combined with rising saline groundwater levels; heavy metals and other pollutants in soil and air etc. Fortunately, many plants have adaptability to develop degrees of tolerance to such stresses. Therefore the major thrust for increasing food productivity depend on understanding of how to increase such tolerance and resistance mechanisms in the plants at cellular, molecular and physiological levels for better crop health and productivity. Consequently, scientists across the globe are working on developing various tools for engineering enhanced resistance of plants against abiotic stresses with subsequent increase in productivity.