Vol. 6, Issue 1, Part B (2024)

Severely impact agricultural productivity worldwide. As climate change accelerates the frequency and intensity of these stressors, enhancing plant resilience becomes critical for ensuring food security. Recent advances in molecular biology and plant genomics have provided significant insights into the mechanisms governing abiotic stress responses. This paper explores the molecular and genetic strategies employed to develop stress-tolerant plants, with a focus on signal transduction pathways, stress-responsive genes, transcription factors, and epigenetic modifications.
High-throughput sequencing technologies, transcriptomic profiling, and CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing have enabled the identification and functional analysis of key regulatory genes such as DREB, HSPs, NAC, and WRKY transcription factors. These genes regulate a cascade of molecular events including osmolyte biosynthesis, ROS scavenging, hormonal signaling, and cellular homeostasis under stress conditions. Genetic engineering approaches have led to the successful development of transgenic plants with improved tolerance to drought, salinity, and cold stress, without compromising yield.
This paper also reviews emerging tools such as RNA interference, TILLING, and genome-wide association studies (GWAS), along with comparative analyses of crop performance across field trials and model systems. Case studies from rice, wheat, and Arabidopsis demonstrate the applicability of these interventions in diverse agro-ecological settings. The discussion emphasizes the importance of integrating omics technologies, computational modeling, and precision breeding for developing climate-resilient crops. The review concludes with a forward-looking perspective on regulatory, ecological, and ethical considerations, highlighting the need for multidisciplinary collaboration to meet future agricultural challenges.