PLANT-RESPONSES TO WATER-DEFICIT

Plant responses to water deficit are dependent on the amount of water lost, the rate of loss and the duration of the stressed condition. The characterization of a large number of genes induced by stresses invol ving water deficit has significantly improved understanding of the res ponse. There appear to be several pathways for gene induction involved , and these are being elucidated by the analysis of DNA elements, muta nts and gene expression patterns. However, it has been difficult to re solve the functions of many drought-induced genes against the backgrou nd of other stress-induced changes, and thus it is now important to in tegrate information about cellular and whole plant responses.