Genetics of Crop Plants Adaptation to Abiotic Stress

Dear Colleagues,

Food security is dependent upon crop production in many highly variable environments globally. Understanding the genetic basis of plant adaptation to abiotic stress is central to the breeding of climate resilient crops.  Abiotic stress that may limit plant performance include, temperature (heat and cold stress), drought, flooding and nutrient limitation or excess and the presence of air or soil toxins. Genomic analysis provides a powerful tool to reveal the complex networks of plant response to these diverse stresses.  This issue will describe studies of plant responses to abiotic stress that will inform understanding of plant adaptation and survival in nature and agriculture. This research is central to conservation of plant biodiversity and the adaptation of agriculture to climate change. The special issue will include reviews of plants adapted to survival in extreme or highly variable environments. Abiotic stress may not only impact on plant performance but may also alter the composition of foods produced from stressed crops. This special issue will include studies of the impact of abiotic stress on the quality including nutritional and health properties of foods. We need to develop technologies to allow the continued production of food in both high quantity and of high quality under stress. Strategies for crop adaptation include genomic selection, introgression from diverse or wild germplasm and genetic modification.

Prof. Robert Henry
Guest Editor

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