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Role of aquaporins in determining transpiration and photosynthesis in water‐stressed plants: crop water‐use efficiency, growth and yield
Author(s) -
MOSHELION MENACHEM,
HALPERIN OFER,
WALLACH RONY,
OREN RAM,
WAY DANIELLE A.
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
plant, cell and environment
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.646
H-Index - 200
eISSN - 1365-3040
pISSN - 0140-7791
DOI - 10.1111/pce.12410
Subject(s) - aquaporin , transpiration , water transport , hydraulic conductivity , photosynthesis , agronomy , biology , plant physiology , water use efficiency , apoplast , yield (engineering) , soil water , environmental science , microbiology and biotechnology , water flow , botany , environmental engineering , cell wall , ecology , materials science , metallurgy
The global shortage of fresh water is one of our most severe agricultural problems, leading to dry and saline lands that reduce plant growth and crop yield. Here we review recent work highlighting the molecular mechanisms allowing some plant species and genotypes to maintain productivity under water stress conditions, and suggest molecular modifications to equip plants for greater production in water‐limited environments. Aquaporins ( AQP s) are thought to be the main transporters of water, small and uncharged solutes, and CO 2 through plant cell membranes, thus linking leaf CO 2 uptake from the intercellular airspaces to the chloroplast with water loss pathways. AQP s appear to play a role in regulating dynamic changes of root, stem and leaf hydraulic conductivity, especially in response to environmental changes, opening the door to using AQP expression to regulate plant water‐use efficiency. We highlight the role of vascular AQP s in regulating leaf hydraulic conductivity and raise questions regarding their role (as well as tonoplast AQP s) in determining the plant isohydric threshold, growth rate, fruit yield production and harvest index. The tissue‐ or cell‐specific expression of AQP s is discussed as a tool to increase yield relative to control plants under both normal and water‐stressed conditions.