Effect of Cold Stress on Photosynthesis of Plants and Possible Protection Mechanisms
Plants are subjected to various types of abiotic stresses; among them temperature stress is a common stress experienced by plants distributed all across the globe. Low temperature is one among the important environmental factors that limit the food produc
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Abstract
Plants are subjected to various types of abiotic stresses; among them temperature stress is a common stress experienced by plants distributed all across the globe. Low temperature is one among the important environmental factors that limit the food productivity of agricultural fields around the world. To cope with cold stress, plant species have evolved several physiological and molecular adaptations to minimise damage from cold by adjusting their metabolic processes. The understanding of adaptations and protective regulations represents an additional mechanism of cold tolerance. As a consequence of these changes, plants undergo a process known as cold acclimation. In this chapter, a brief summary on the recent progress of research on how cold-sensitive plants perceive cold is mentioned. We have also explored how this perception is translated into protective mechanism within plants. Particular emphasis is placed on physiological parameters, and regulation of cold-induced photosynthetic processes that occur after exposure to low temperatures, leading to cold acclimation, is widely discussed. This chapter mainly emphasises on the various molecules and pigments synthesised to acclimatise during low-temperature exposure. Keywords
Acclimatisation Cold stress Photosynthesis Reactive oxygen species
Introduction
S. Adam S.D.S. Murthy (*) Department of Biochemistry, Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati, AP 517502, India e-mail: [email protected]
All along the life of plants, they adapt to variable environmental conditions such as changes in temperatures, starvation, drought, change in nutrient abundance, flooding, air pollution, soil pollution and osmotic alterations, which are various abiotic factors that cause stress (Apel and Hirt 2004). To constantly monitor the
R.K. Gaur and P. Sharma (eds.), Approaches to Plant Stress and their Management, DOI 10.1007/978-81-322-1620-9_12, # Springer India 2014
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environmental changes and to adapt appropriately, plants develop enumerable number of mechanisms which are robust in their nature. The importance of ability to adapt to a changing environment was described in various research articles. In recent years there has been tremendous progress in understanding the mechanisms and processes involved in defence adaptations towards abiotic stress in numerable plant species (Hirayama and Shinozaki 2010; Jaspers and Kangasja¨rvi 2010). Among various abiotic stresses, low temperature (LT) is one of the most important factors limiting the crop productivity and distribution of plants. Low temperatures are defined as low but not freezing temperatures from 0 C to 15 C; they are common in nature and can damage many plant species. Chilling temperatures range from 0 C to 15 C, whereas freezing temperature starts from 0 C and further. Chilling and freezing temperatures are different from each other and have different tolerance mechanisms. Lowtemperature stress is a major factor that limits the agricultural productivity in hilly areas and high altitude a
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