Application of UV-A Radiation to Induce Tolerance to Biotic and Abiotic Stress in Horticultural Crops

UV radiation can be used for the purpose of stimulating positive traits in agricultural crops, for example, induction of tolerance to biotic or abiotic stress. Furthermore, UV radiation application can be performed at specific phenological stages of crops and on different plant organs in order to induce specific responses. Another interesting factor to consider is that acclimatization of plants to UV radiation can lead to changes at the epigenetic level. In some crops, this information can be passed on to offspring. Here, two methods of applying UV radiation in agricultural crops to induce tolerance to abiotic stress and biotic stress are described, at different phenological stages depending on the desired objective.