Role of biotechnology in

improvement of various crops under

drought stress
Supervisor: Dr. Humera Razzaq
Amina Naeem 2021-ag-114
Contents
Introduction
• Biotechnology
• Drought
Techniques and tools in biotechnology
Achievements
Conclusion
References
World Population Growth => Water demand
Less water available for
agriculture
Groundwater a vital source
Challenges in agriculture
• Today, agriculture is facing record challenges.
• Drought is one of the major global stress.
• 15% of the global area which was potentially suitable for crop
production but not able to utilized for Agriculture uses due
to unavailability of irrational water (FAO, 2020).
• Need to begin producing novel crop varieties (Fita
et al., 2015).
“More Crop per Drop”
Diversity of mechanisms to avoid water shortage

Drought avoidance Drought tolerance

Early Cellular
reproduction protectants

Avoids late season Avoid cell death under

water deficit severe drought
Why genetic engineering for drought
Conventional breeding for
genetic improvement of
crops is
• Slow and difficult
process
• High heterozygosity
• Auto-incompatibility
• Long-term process
(Petri and Burgos, 2005).
genetic engineering
methods can promote the
quick insertion of
important genes thus
resulting in more efficient
and reliable genetic
improvement with high
stability
(Lusser et al., 2012).
 Plant Genetic Engineering and Development of
Transgenics
• Useful genes cloned
• Introduced without the
co-transfer of unwanted
genes(James, 2007).
TYPES OF GENES USED FOR DEVELOPING ABIOTIC
STRESS RESISTANCE THROUGH GENETIC ENGINEERING
Regulatory Genes
• Transcription factors
• Signaling factors
Functional Genes
• Osmolytes (Fructan, trehalose, glycine betaine, mannitol, polyamines,
proline)
• Protective proteins (Chaperone)
• Heat shock proteins (LEA)
• Cold shock proteins (CSPa, CSPb)
• ABA biosynthesis
 Biotechnology tools searching for solution

proline accumulation P5CS GENE

(Molinari et al., 2007)

Vigna aconitifolia Saccharum officinarum

 x
Drought tolerant rice Elite quality rice

x
Drought-tolerant
elite rice

(Steele et al., 2006)

 TPSP gene

Accumulate trihalose at
levels 3–10
Agrobacterium
E. coli Oryza sativa
• Sustained plant growth
• Less photo-oxidative damage
• More favorable mineral balance
under salt and drought stress
(Garg et al., 2002).
 Transgenic Brassica compestris

LEA Proteins LEA N4 gene

Production

Agrobacterium

Brassica napus Brassica campestris

Transgenic plants showed

increased growth ability under salt
and water deficit
 Transgenic spring wheat

HVA1

LEA
Proteins

Hordeum vulgare Triticum aestivum

Transgenic spring
wheat

(Bahieldin et al., 2005)

 Transgenic maize

NPK1

N. tabacum Zea mays

Transgenic maize plants showed enhanced

drought tolerance

(Shou et al., 2004)

Conclusion
• Drought and water scarcity are serious threats for food
security.
• We need drought-tolerant crops for rain fed regions.
• Plant biotechnology provides more tools for crop
improvement.