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New research reveals how reactive oxygen species help cereal crops build stress resilience, offering fresh opportunities to develop drought- and heat-tolerant varieties
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AlexRaths / iStock [Photo source]
Researchers at South Ural State University, a partner of TV BRICS, have uncovered new evidence explaining how cereal crops naturally adapt to extreme heat and drought, a breakthrough that could support the development of more climate-resilient food crops as global temperatures continue to rise. This is reported by the university's website.
The study identifies reactive oxygen species (ROS) as a central regulator of plant survival under environmental stress. While these highly reactive molecules are known to damage plant cells when present in excessive amounts, researchers found they also perform a critical signalling function that activates genetic defence mechanisms, allowing plants to adapt to increasingly harsh growing conditions.
The findings are particularly significant for staple crops such as wheat, rice, barley, millet and sorghum, which provide more than half of the world's caloric intake and face mounting pressure from climate change, prolonged droughts and extreme heat.
According to the research team, environmental stress triggers higher ROS production inside plant cells. At elevated concentrations, these molecules damage lipids, proteins and DNA, slowing plant growth and reducing crop yields. However, controlled ROS activity acts as a biological alarm system, initiating a complex network of protective responses that improves plant resilience.
Scientists found that ROS also influence epigenetic regulation by modifying histone proteins that organise DNA. These molecular changes create a form of stress memory, enabling plants to respond more rapidly to repeated environmental challenges. The researchers suggest that this adaptive memory may even be passed to future generations, opening new possibilities for breeding crops with long-term tolerance to climate-related stress.
The study highlights species-specific responses. In rice, oxidative signalling activates genes associated with drought resistance, while wheat increases hydrogen peroxide production to protect the photosynthetic system during periods of water scarcity.
Researchers believe the discovery could become an important tool for plant breeders and agricultural scientists seeking to develop high-yield crop varieties capable of maintaining productivity under increasingly unpredictable climate conditions. The findings may also help improve cultivation strategies and strengthen global food security as agriculture adapts to a warming world.
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