Plant drought-tolerant

Qin, X. Q. and J. A. D. Zeevaart (2002). Overexpression of a 9-cA-epoxycarotenoid dioxygenase gene in Nicotiana plumbaginifolia increases abscisic acid and phaseic acid levels and enhances drought tolerance. Plant Physiol. 128(2) 544-551. 

Another development which may be useful is the finding that a drought-tolerant corn variety produced more ABA upon wilting than did two sensitive cultivars (73). The enhanced ability to accumulate ABA might be used as a marker for breeding drought-tolerant plants. 

Grow plants that are suited to the conditions in your garden. If it gets very dry and hot in the summer, choose plenty of drought-tolerant plants, which often have silvery leaves and are sometimes downy or waxy. You could also consider creating a rain garden. 

Xeriscaping Landscaping method used in dry climates to conserve water by utilizing drought-tolerant plants, mulch, and efficient irrigation. 

The use of plants from extreme environments Wild plants from extreme environments may possess genes and gene combinations which confer stress tolerance. We must realise, however, that many of their characteristics, e.g. leaf pubescence and succulence in drought-resistant plants, are incompatible with the high yield potential required for crop plants. In addition, most of these species contain compounds such as phenolics and mucilages which interfere with conventional molecular biology techniques. 

Wyn Jones, J.R. Gorham, J. (1983). Aspects of salt and drought tolerance. In Genetic Engineering of Plants An Agricultural Perspect, ed. T. Kosuge, C.P. Meredith and A. Hollaender, pp. 355-70. New York Plenum Press. 

Jordan, W.R. Miller, F.R. (1980). Genetic variability in sorghum root systems implication for drought tolerance. In Adaptation of Plants to Water and High Temperature Stress, ed. N.C. Turner and P.J. Kramer, pp. 383-400. New York Wiley Interscience. 

Vaadia, Y. (1987). Salt and drought tolerance in plants regulation of water use efficiency in sensitive and tolerant species. In NATO Conference on Biochemical and Physiological Mechanisms Associated with Environmental Stress Tolerance in Plants, University of East Anglia, Norwich, 2-7 August 1987. 

From the above, it can be seen that there is a need for a screening test that is a more specific indicator of drought tolerance than yield itself, that will measure the response of the plant integrated over a substantial part of its life cycle, is non-destructive and can be used for testing large numbers of plants. A test which appears to meet these criteria is carbon isotope... 

Iuchi, S., M. Kobayashi et al. (2000). A stress-inducible gene for 9-cw-epoxycarotenoid dioxygenase involved in abscisic acid biosynthesis under water stress in drought-tolerant cowpea. Plant Physiol. 123(2) 553-562. 

Genetically engineered traits are being introduced into new crops (e.g. alfalfa and strawberries) and new GM events (traits), which may have a greater impact on human health (e.g. pharmaceutical traits) and the environment (e.g. drought tolerance and plant made industrial products) are being developed. 

Above right) Drought-tolerant herbs Rosemary and lavender (pictured) are perfect companions in a dry, sunny spot. Other drought-tolerant herbs include sage, thyme, curry plant, cotton lavender (santolina), and artemisia. 

Plant native and/or drought-tolerant grasses, ground covers, shrubs, and trees. Once established, they do not need to be watered frequendy and usually survive a dry period without any watering. 

Sheveleva, E., Chmara, W., Bohnert, H.J., and Jensen, R.G., 1997, Increased salt and drought tolerance by D-ononitol production in transgenic Nicotiana tabacum L. Plant Physiol. 115(3) 1211-1219. 

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