BR deficiency causes increased sensitivity to drought and yield penalty in cotton.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Brassinosteroids (BRs) play crucial roles in drought tolerance, but the underlying molecular mechanisms remain unclear in the important oilseed and fiber crop, cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.).

Results

To elucidate how BRs mediate drought tolerance in cotton, a cotton brassinosteroid (BR)-deficient mutant, pag1 (pagoda1), was employed for analysis. Importantly, the pag1 mutant showed increased sensitivity to drought stress, with shorter primary roots and fewer lateral roots. The number of stomata was significantly increased in the mutant, and the stomata aperture was much wider than that of the control plants. These mutant plants therefore showed an increased water loss rate. Furthermore, the abscisic acid (ABA) content, photosynthetic efficiency and starch content

SUBMITTER: Chen E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6537406 | biostudies-literature | 2019 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature