About this Book

Abiotic stresses, such as cold, heat, drought, salinity, and heavy metals, limit plant growth. Plants interact with a wide range of different soil microorganisms, including prokaryotes, fungi, and viruses. These microorganisms can modulate various elements of plant defense mechanisms in response to abiotic stress. Symbiotic microbes can either enhance or hinder plant nutrient uptake and use efficiency, thereby impacting their growth and yield under stress. Plant-associated microbes also have the ability to alleviate stress through the activation of physiological, biochemical, and molecular pathways that coordinate ion uptake, nutrient metabolism, and the synthesis of compounds with osmotic or antioxidant activity.

A comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms underlying the interactions between plants and their symbiotic microbes can potentially improve plant resistance to abiotic stress.