Title : Enhancing plant resilience through abiotic stress priming: Insights from miscanthus x giganteus
Abstract:
Abiotic stress poses a significant challenge to the productivity and sustainability of perennial crops like Miscanthus x giganteus (MxG). Our study investigates the effects of abiotic stress priming, focusing on nitrogen and copper treatments, as well as physical priming (hot and cold treatments), to enhance plant resilience and biomass production. Nitrogen application, particularly through foliar spraying, demonstrated substantial benefits, including prolonged vegetative periods and increased biomass production. This treatment also enhanced photosynthetic efficiency, as indicated by elevated chlorophyll fluorescence indices and improved photochemical performance (Fv/Fm and Pi abs). Interestingly, nitrogen treatments led to increased lignin and cellulose synthesis, suggesting an augmentation of structural integrity in response to stress. Conversely, copper treatments exhibited a complex interaction with plant physiology. While lower concentrations of copper applied to leaves enhanced carotenoid levels and photosynthetic activity, higher concentrations were detrimental, reducing biomass and altering stomatal density. The response to copper stress varied significantly between rhizome soaking and foliar application, highlighting the importance of application method. Physical priming with cold treatment (10°C) significantly increased lignin production, enhancing structural integrity under stress conditions. In contrast, hot priming demonstrated limited beneficial effects, with plants showing decreased biomass and vitality. These findings suggest that the type and method of priming significantly influence the physiological and morphological outcomes in MxG.
Overall, our findings underscore the potential of abiotic stress priming to enhance the resilience of MxG, offering promising strategies for improving the productivity of bioenergy crops under suboptimal conditions. These insights contribute to a deeper understanding of plant stress responses and inform the development of sustainable agricultural practices.
Audience Take Away Notes:
- The audience will gain knowledge on improving crop resilience and productivity through targeted stress priming techniques
- Practical applications of the research can be implemented in agricultural practices to enhance crop yield and sustainability
- The findings provide a foundation for further research into abiotic stress priming and can be incorporated into teaching materials related to plant science and agricultural sustainability
- The research offers practical solutions for enhancing crop resilience and productivity, which can simplify the management of bioenergy crops
