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The neglected other half ‐ role of the pistil in plant heat stress responses
Author(s) -
Wang Yuanyuan,
Impa S. M.,
Sunkar Ramanjulu,
Jagadish S. V. Krishna
Publication year - 2021
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.14067
Subject(s) - gynoecium , pollen tube , pollen , biology , human fertilization , double fertilization , pollination , botany , reproductive success , ovule , agronomy , stamen , population , demography , sociology
Heat stress coinciding with reproductive stage leads to a significant loss in reproductive organs viability, resulting in lower seed‐set and crop productivity. Successful fertilization and seed formation are determined by the viability of male and female reproductive organs. The impact of heat stress on the male reproductive organ (pollen) is studied more often compared to the female reproductive organ (pistil). This is attributed to easier accessibility of the pollen coupled with the notion that the pistil's role in fertilization and seed‐set under heat stress is negligible. However, depending on species and developmental stages, recent studies reveal varying degrees of sensitivity of the pistil to heat stress. Remarkably, in some cases, the vulnerability of the pistil is even greater than the pollen. This article summarizes the current knowledge of the impact of heat stress on three critical stages of pistil for successful seed‐set, that is, female reproductive organ development (gametogenesis), pollen‐pistil interactions including pollen capture on stigma and pollen tube growth in style, as well as fertilization and early embryogenesis. Further, future research directions are suggested to unravel molecular basis of heat stress tolerance in pistil, which is critical for sustaining crop yields under predicted warming scenarios.