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Pearl millet response to drought: A review
Nikee Shrestha1,2, Hao Hu1, Kumar Shrestha1
1Department of Plant Biology, Ecology and Evolution, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, United States.
Frontiers in Plant Science
|February 27, 2023
Summary
Pearl millet exhibits remarkable drought tolerance through short-term physiological adjustments and long-term developmental plasticity. Understanding its genetic mechanisms can improve drought resistance in other essential cereal crops.
Area of Science:
- Agricultural Science
- Plant Physiology
- Genetics
Background:
- Pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum), a C4 cereal, is highly drought-tolerant, crucial for low-rainfall regions.
- Its domestication in sub-Saharan Africa is linked to a combination of morphological and physiological drought-resistance traits.
Approach:
- This review synthesizes short-term and long-term drought responses in pearl millet.
- It examines gene expression patterns from transcriptomic studies, including a combined analysis of 94 differentially expressed genes.
- Focuses on physiological adjustments (osmotic adjustment, stomatal conductance, ROS scavenging) and developmental plasticity (tillering, root development, flowering time).
Key Points:
- Short-term drought response involves osmotic adjustment, stomatal regulation, and antioxidant activity.
- Long-term strategies include developmental plasticity in tillering, root growth, leaf structure, and flowering time.
- A combined analysis identified 94 differentially expressed genes under drought, clustered around stress response, carbon metabolism, and hormonal pathways.
Conclusions:
- Pearl millet's drought tolerance is a complex interplay of physiological and developmental mechanisms.
- Understanding gene expression in specific tissues (tiller buds, root tips) is key to deciphering growth responses.
- Insights from pearl millet can inform drought resistance strategies for other crops.
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