African Journal of
Biotechnology

  • Abbreviation: Afr. J. Biotechnol.
  • Language: English
  • ISSN: 1684-5315
  • DOI: 10.5897/AJB
  • Start Year: 2002
  • Published Articles: 12481

Review

Advances in genetic engineering for plants abiotic stress control

Tchouopou Lontchi Josine1,2, Jing Ji2*, Gang Wang2 and Chun Feng Guan2    
1School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Department of Bioengineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, People’s Republic of China. 2School of Agriculture and Bioengineering, Department of Biotechnology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, People’s Republic of China    
Email: Tel/fax: 0086-22-87401878

  •  Accepted: 08 April 2011
  •  Published: 20 June 2011

Abstract

Agricultural productivity is highly influenced by abiotic stresses, known as the most harmful factor concerning the growth and productivity of crops worldwide. Furthermore, industrial crops are nowadays highly influenced by abiotic stress; these include extremes in temperature, drought, salinity, heavy metals and radiation.Typical studies were discussed by many researchers about the control of abiotic stress in plants by the expression, over-expression or switching off abiotic stress-related genes. Despite the rapid evolution of the research, some crops are still expected to decline by 15 to 32% in the next fifty years. Consequently, engineering genes that protect and maintain the function and structure of cellular components can enhance tolerance to stress. This review presents principal methods adapted in the control of plants abiotic stresses including recent advances in using transgenes for the improvement of abiotic stress tolerance in plants. Specified analysis of recent advances in abiotic stress control could describe trehalose as a better compound in the control of plant abiotic stresses. Therefore, studies of genes-related trehalose metabolism and associated patterns could not only provide an improved plant metabolism, phenotypes and texture, but in fact, the plants become highly resistant to abiotic stress.

 

Key words: Abiotic stresses, crops, expression, over-expression, switching off, trehalose, genes-related.