U.S. Researchers Identify Proteins That Help Plants Survive Drought

U.S. researchers have identified the set of proteins within living plants that help them withstand stressful conditions such as drought, cold, and excessive radiation. Using sophisticated stable isotope technology and mass spectrometry, scientists at the University of Wisconsin-Madison were able to identify specific proteins that are influenced by abscisic acid, a key hormone that influences how plants respond to stress and controls the processes of seed dormancy and germination. Most plants, which are composed of 95 percent water, reach a permanent wilting point and die when water levels drop to about 90 percent, said Michael Sussman, a Wisconsin biochemistry professor. Seeds, on the other hand, which are 10 percent water, can go into a dormant state and remain viable for hundreds of years. Finding a way to trigger in plants that dormant state could help researchers develop plants that are better able to survive drought, said Sussman, lead author of the study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Researchers say the work is important as countries look to expand agricultural production in marginal lands, particularly in the context of a warming climate.