Summary
This narrative review synthesises current understanding of how horticultural and other plant species mount antioxidant defences in response to abiotic stressors that generate reactive oxygen species. It covers the dual role of ROS as damaging oxidants and as signalling molecules, and describes both enzymatic (superoxide dismutase, catalase, peroxidases) and non-enzymatic (ascorbate, glutathione, carotenoids) scavenging mechanisms. The review likely draws on a broad body of experimental literature to provide an integrated account of ROS homeostasis relevant to improving plant stress tolerance in cultivated crops.
UK applicability
Although the review is international in scope and not UK-specific, its findings on abiotic stress tolerance are directly relevant to UK horticulture and arable systems facing increasing climate-related stressors such as drought, waterlogging, and temperature extremes; the mechanistic insights could inform UK breeding programmes and agronomic strategies aimed at improving crop resilience.
Key measures
ROS accumulation; enzymatic antioxidant activity (SOD, CAT, APX, GPX, GR); non-enzymatic antioxidant concentrations (ascorbate, glutathione, tocopherols, carotenoids); oxidative damage markers (MDA, H₂O₂); stress signalling pathways
Outcomes reported
The study reviews how plants produce, signal with, and scavenge reactive oxygen species (ROS) during abiotic stress conditions such as drought, salinity, heat, and heavy metal toxicity, and examines the enzymatic and non-enzymatic components of the antioxidant defence system that mitigate oxidative damage.
Topic tags
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