Stress Physiology The study of functioning of plants under adverse environmental conditions such as flood, drought, extreme cold,

heat, salinity, pollution etc is called stress physiology. Stress is any change in environmental conditions that might reduce or adversely change plants growth and development Biological strain is the reduced or changed function of the plant in response to the stress Tolerance is the ability of a plant to cope with the adverse environmental conditions whereas avoidance involves specific adaptive measures by which they avoid a stressful event 1. 2. 3. 4. Drought ( water deficit) Effects: On growth When a plant tissue suffers from water stress there will be a reduction in turgor pressure. Since cell expansion is influenced by turgor potential, developing cells will expand less and cell size will be smaller under these conditions On cell ultra structure Water stress affects the structure and function of cell membranes which may lead to change in the ultra structure of cells. Thus chloroplast and mitochondrial structure can be damaged by severe water stress. On photosynthesis A low turgor pressure in the guard cells or increasing vapour pressure gradient between leaf and air can bring about the closure of stomata. This is termed stomatal inhibition of photosynthesis On nitrogen metabolism Under water stress, the movement of nitrogen from roots to leaves slows down and consequently higher concentration of nitrates accumulates in water stressed roots than in irrigated roots. Plant mechanisms to overcome water deficit 1. Drought escape: Some plants such as ephemerals germinate, grow and flower very quickly after rains. Thus they complete their life cycles before the supply of water in soil is depleted and form dormant seeds before the onset of dry season. 2. Drought avoidance: Either by maintenance of water uptake or by a reduction of water loss. To maintain water uptake, roots grow deeper into the soil with a resulting increase in root density. Reduction of water loss can be achieved by stomatal control of transpiration. (a ) production of hairs, surface wax or salt on leaf surface increases reflectance of the leaves. (b) the shedding of large thinner leaves and production of small thicker leaves reduces evaporation surface area. By osmotic adjustments: As result of increasing water stress in many xerophytes, certain organic compounds such as amino acid proline and sugar alcohol sorbitol etc accumulate in the cell cytoplasm. These substances lower the osmotic potential which helps in maintaining plant water balance is called osmoregulation 2. Flooding (excess water )

5. 6.

7. 8.

9. 10.

11. 12.

13.

14. 15. 16.

17.

18. Effects 19. 1.. On respiration: Reduction in aerobic respiration in roots is the initial effect of anaerobic soil conditions. Another detrimental effect is the accumulation of ethanol in toxic levels which is an end product of anaerobic respiration. 20. On photosynthesis: root zone flooding results in stomatal closure of leaves. As a consequence of increasing stomatal resistance, photosynthesis decreases quickly following flooding. 21. On water and nutrient relations: Flooding with salt water creates an osmotic stress whereas flooding with fresh water decreases root permeability to water. As a result wilting symptoms may occur. 22. Anaerobic respiration is unable to provide adequate ATP for active nutrient uptake. Thus rate of delivery of nutrients, transpiration etc are all reduced. Chlorosis can happen in sensitive plants due to reduced nutrient uptake and iron toxicity. 23. Adaptive responses to flooding 24. 1. Development of aerenchyma: Flooding induces the formation of gas spaces called aerenchyma in different plant parts like roots, rhizome, stem, petioles and leaves. Aerenchyma tissue helps in proper growth of roots and their survival under reduced oxygen regime. 25. Re-orientation of leaves and stem- petiole epinasty 26. Adventitious root formation and hypertrophy- during flooding the old roots are replaced by adventitious roots which act as a survival mechanism. Water and nutrient uptake in flood resistant plants are facilitated by adventitious roots. 27. Accelerated lateral cell expansion with increased inter cellular spaces and cell lysis can lead to induction of heterotrophy. This increases the porosity at the base of the stem to promote aeration for adventitious root formation and thus act as a mechanism in plants during submergence. 28. Fast shoot elongation under water- enhancement of intermodal length which helps to keep the leaves above water level