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Some Physiological and Molecular Insights into the Mechanisms of Desiccation Tolerance in the Resurrection Plant Xerophyta viscosa Baker

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Plant Tolerance to Abiotic Stresses in Agriculture: Role of Genetic Engineering

Part of the book series: NATO Science Series ((ASHT,volume 83))

Abstract

Few organisms are able to survive desiccation to the air-dried state. Nevertheless, there are a small number of species from every major class of plants (with the exception of gymnosperms) that exhibit this characteristic (Bewley and Oliver, 1992; Oliver and Bewley, 1997). Many of these “resurrection” plants (Gaff, 1971) are being studied in an attempt to understand the mechanisms which enable vegetative tissues to withstand desiccation, with the ultimate aim of identifying characteristics which may be used to produce crops with improved tolerance to osmotic stress.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Microbiology, University of Cape Town, Private Bag, Rondebosch, 7701, South Africa

    Sagadevan G. Mundree

  2. Department of Botany, University of Cape Town, Private Bag, Rondebosch, 7701, South Africa

    Jill M. Farrant

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  1. Sagadevan G. Mundree
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  2. Jill M. Farrant
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama, USA

    Joe H. Cherry  & Robert D. Locy  & 

  2. Institute of Experimental Plant Biology, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland

    Anna Rychter

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Mundree, S.G., Farrant, J.M. (2000). Some Physiological and Molecular Insights into the Mechanisms of Desiccation Tolerance in the Resurrection Plant Xerophyta viscosa Baker. In: Cherry, J.H., Locy, R.D., Rychter, A. (eds) Plant Tolerance to Abiotic Stresses in Agriculture: Role of Genetic Engineering. NATO Science Series, vol 83. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-4323-3_15

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-4323-3_15

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-0-7923-6567-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-011-4323-3

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