Plant Physiology 1

Stress Physiology - Lecture 1

An Introduction to Stress
 Lecture Outline

• Definitions

• Adaptation and Acclimation

• Types of Stress

- Water stress
 Definitions
• Stress
- An external factor which exerts a
disadvantageous effect on the organism.
OR
- Any change in environmental conditions which
adversely alters plant growth or development

• Strain
- The reduction in plant growth or function
resulting from a stress.
 More Definitions….
• Adaptation to Stress

- Genetically determined resistance acquired over

generations by selection.

- Heritable modifications in structure or function

which increase the fitness of the plant in a
stressful environment.
 More Definitions….
• Acclimation to Stress
- An increase in the stress tolerance of an
individual plant as a result of exposure to prior
stress

- Non-heritable physiological modifications made

during the life of the individual plant

NOTE: The capacity to acclimate is genetically

determined
 Types of Stress
• Biotic stress

- herbivores, insects

- pathogens, parasites
 Types of Stress
• Abiotic (edaphic & climatic/atmospheric)
- extremes of temperature (heat, chilling, freezing)
- excess water (waterlogging, anoxia, flooding)
- water stress (drought, low )
- salinity
- nutrient extremes
- radiation (UV, high visible)
- allochemicals (herbicides, pesticides, pollutants)
- wind
 The Physical (Abiotic)
Environment

• Influences the rate of plant growth

• Affects the pattern of development

• A major determinant of the geographical

distribution of plants
 Classification of Plant Types

• Hydrophytes - live in or near water

• Mesophytes - most land-dwelling

plants

• Xerophytes - plants which grow in

arid environments
 Xerophyte Strategies

• Drought escape

- avoiders, complete life cycle during wet

season

- desert ephemerals
 Xerophyte Strategies
• Drought tolerance

- dessication postponement: high tissue 

» water savers

» water storers

» water spenders
 Xerophyte Strategies
• Drought tolerance

- dessication tolerance: low tissue 

» dehydration endurers (Euxerophytes)

 Drought Tolerance Strategies in
Xerophytes
• Altered leaf morphology

• Leaf shedding/deciduous habit

• Specialised root systems

• Altered photosynthetic mechanisms

• Salt secretion

• Osmoregulation
 Water Stress in Mesophytes

• Huge variations in tolerance and ability to

acclimate.

• Subject of intense study due to economic

importance.

• Can exhibit tolerance strategies similar to

xerophytes to some extent.