Role of sugars under abiotic stress

• Published in: Plant physiology and biochemistry Vol. 109; pp. 54 - 61
• Main Authors: Sami, Fareen, Yusuf, Mohammad, Faizan, Mohammad, Faraz, Ahmad, Hayat, Shamsul
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: France Elsevier Masson SAS 01-12-2016
• Subjects: Adaptation, Physiological - drug effects; Carbohydrates - pharmacology; Cold Temperature; Droughts; Flowering; Glucose - metabolism; Glucose - pharmacology; Models, Biological; Photosynthesis; Phytohormones; Plant Growth Regulators - biosynthesis; Plants - drug effects; Plants - metabolism; Seed germination; Senescence; Sodium Chloride - pharmacology; Soluble sugars; Phytohormones; Flowering; Senescence; Photosynthesis; Soluble sugars; Seed germination
• ISSN: 0981-9428; 1873-2690
• DOI: 10.1016/j.plaphy.2016.09.005

Sugars are the most important regulators that facilitate many physiological processes, such as photosynthesis, seed germination, flowering, senescence, and many more under various abiotic stresses. Exogenous application of sugars in low concentration promote seed germination, up regulates photosynthesis, promotes flowering, delayed senescence under various unfavorable environmental conditions. However, high concentration of sugars reverses all these physiological process in a concentration dependent manner. Thus, this review focuses the correlation between sugars and their protective functions in several physiological processes against various abiotic stresses. Keeping in mind the multifaceted role of sugars, an attempt has been made to cover the role of sugar-regulated genes associated with photosynthesis, seed germination and senescence. The concentration of sugars determines the expression of these sugar-regulated genes. This review also enlightens the interaction of sugars with several phytohormones, such as abscisic acid, ethylene, cytokinins and gibberellins and its effect on their biosynthesis under abiotic stress conditions.
•Sugars affect seed germination, photosynthesis, flowering and senescence in concentration-dependent manner.•Different level of sugars alters activity of sugar-regulated genes.•Antioxidant system increased by application of sugars.•Ameliorative role of sugars was observed under various abiotic stresses.