Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Adaptations that Reduce Water Loss01:57

Adaptations that Reduce Water Loss

Though evaporation from plant leaves drives transpiration, it also results in loss of water. Because water is critical for photosynthetic reactions and other cellular processes, evolutionary pressures on plants in different environments have driven the acquisition of adaptations that reduce water loss.
C4 Pathway and CAM01:27

C4 Pathway and CAM

Most plants use the C3 pathway for carbon fixation. However, some plants, such as sugar cane, corn, and cacti that grow in hot conditions, use alternative pathways to fix carbon and conserve energy loss due to photorespiration. Photorespiration is the process that occurs when the oxygen concentration is high. Under such conditions, the rubisco enzyme in the Calvin cycle binds O2 instead of CO2, which halts photosynthesis and consumes energy.
C4 Pathway
The C4 pathway is used by plants such as...
Responses to Drought and Flooding02:41

Responses to Drought and Flooding

Water plays a significant role in the life cycle of plants. However, insufficient or excess of water can be detrimental and pose a serious threat to plants.
Plant Breeding and Biotechnology01:59

Plant Breeding and Biotechnology

Crop cultivation has a long history in human civilization, with records showing the cultivation of cereal plants beginning at around 8000 BC. This early plant breeding was developed primarily to provide a steady supply of food.
Plant Tissue Culture02:57

Plant Tissue Culture

Plant tissue culture is widely used in both primary and applied science. Applications range from plant development studies to functional gene studies, crop improvement, commercial micropropagation, virus elimination, and conservation of rare species.
Responses to Salt Stress02:02

Responses to Salt Stress

Salt stress—which can be triggered by high salt concentrations in a plant’s environment—can significantly affect plant growth and crop production by influencing photosynthesis and the absorption of water and nutrients.

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Chloroplast photorespiratory bypass in tomato couples carbon-nitrogen assimilation to increase yield and fruit quality.

Cell reports·2026
Same author

Omics-driven plant breeding through phenomics-enviromics crosstalk.

Nature communications·2026
Same author

Plant development: RBOH genes.

Current biology : CB·2026
Same author

Missed opportunities in nutritional care: prevalence, mortality, and resource utilization in internal medicine wards.

Frontiers in nutrition·2026
Same author

Reactive oxygen species and oxidative signalling in plants.

Essays in biochemistry·2026
Same author

Emerging concepts of reactive oxygen species functions in plants.

Biochemical Society transactions·2026
Same journal

Correction to: Beyond a plant hormone: ethylene receptors and signaling in microbes.

Journal of experimental botany·2026
Same journal

Single-Cell Atlases as Meta-Analytic Compasses for Developmental Biology: A Case Study Using the Arabidopsis Root.

Journal of experimental botany·2026
Same journal

A sugar flow model predicts cell dynamics, weight and quality of tomato at varying sink-source ratios and temperatures.

Journal of experimental botany·2026
Same journal

Crosstalks between plant proteostasis and chromatin remodeling machineries.

Journal of experimental botany·2026
Same journal

Novel Imaging Approaches for Visualising Root-Mycorrhizal Fungal Interactions.

Journal of experimental botany·2026
Same journal

The ga3ox1b mutation reveals the crosstalk between gibberellin and other phytohormones in controlling the growth and development of female flowers in Cucurbita pepo.

Journal of experimental botany·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 2, 2026

Assessing Structural Traits in Triticum aestivum and Zea mays for C3 and C4 Photosynthetic Differentiation Using Free-hand and Semi-thin Sections
06:04

Assessing Structural Traits in Triticum aestivum and Zea mays for C3 and C4 Photosynthetic Differentiation Using Free-hand and Semi-thin Sections

Published on: July 12, 2024

Enhancing drought tolerance in C(4) crops.

Marta S Lopes1, Jose Luis Araus, Philippus D R van Heerden

  • 1International Maize and Wheat Improvement (CIMMYT), Km. 45, Carretera Mexico-Veracruz, El Batan, Texcoco, CP 56130 Mexico.

Journal of Experimental Botany
|April 23, 2011
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Improving drought tolerance in C4 crops like maize is challenging. Research shows root traits and heterosis are key for enhancing stress resilience without sacrificing yield potential.

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 2, 2026

Assessing Structural Traits in Triticum aestivum and Zea mays for C3 and C4 Photosynthetic Differentiation Using Free-hand and Semi-thin Sections
06:04

Assessing Structural Traits in Triticum aestivum and Zea mays for C3 and C4 Photosynthetic Differentiation Using Free-hand and Semi-thin Sections

Published on: July 12, 2024

Area of Science:

  • Plant Science
  • Agronomy
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Abiotic stress adaptation is a complex trait, making crop breeding for drought tolerance difficult.
  • Most research on drought tolerance in C4 plants focuses on maize, yet practical applications of DNA marker technologies are limited.
  • Historically, drought tolerance strategies prioritized shoot traits, but root traits are now recognized as crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review current understanding of drought tolerance mechanisms in C4 plants.
  • To highlight the importance of root traits and heterosis for improving drought resilience.
  • To discuss the integration of molecular technologies into C4 breeding programs.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of studies on C4 plant drought tolerance.
  • Analysis of genetic and molecular mechanisms underlying stress adaptation.
  • Examination of breeding strategies and technological applications.

Main Results:

  • Yield potential and stress tolerance are associated traits in maize hybrids.
  • Root traits (e.g., soil moisture capture, architecture) are critical for drought tolerance in C4 plants.
  • Heterosis offers significant potential for enhancing drought stress tolerance.

Conclusions:

  • Targeting root traits is essential for improving drought tolerance in C4 crops.
  • Integrating molecular breeding with an understanding of heterosis can enhance crop resilience.
  • A balanced approach considering both root and shoot traits is necessary for maintaining yield under drought.