Transcription Factor ZmNAC20 Improves Drought Resistance by Promoting Stomatal Closure and Activating Expression of Stress-Responsive Genes in Maize.

ABSTRACT: Drought is a major environmental threat that limits crop growth, development, and productivity worldwide. Improving drought resistance with genetic engineering methods is necessary to tackle global climate change. It is well known that NAC (NAM, ATAF and CUC) transcription factors play a critical role in coping with drought stress in plants. In this study, we identified an NAC transcription factor ZmNAC20, which regulates drought stress response in maize. ZmNAC20 expression was rapidly upregulated by drought and abscisic acid (ABA). Under drought conditions, the ZmNAC20-overexpressing plants had higher relative water content and survival rate than the wild-type maize inbred B104, suggesting that overexpression of ZmNAC20 improved drought resistance in maize. The detach

SUBMITTER: Liu H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10003513 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature