Effective identification and understanding of genes contribute to improve plant drought resistance. A study was conducted to identify drought responsive candidate genes in sugarcane. Two genes viz., SOD (Superoxide dismutase) and IGS (Indole 3glycerol phosphate synthase) were used as gene specific markers. Specific primers were designed based on the sequences in Genbank databases. Mapping popul...

BACKGROUND Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is a highly drought sensitive crop, and most semi dwarf rice varieties suffer severe yield losses from reproductive stage drought stress. The genetic complexity of drought tolerance has deterred the identification of agronomically relevant quantitative trait loci (QTL) that can be deployed to improve rice yield under drought in rice. Convergent evidence from ph...

Real-time information on the development of the drought conditions is one of the fundamental requisites for reinforcing the drought mitigation and preparedness. The EuroGEOSS interoperability approach promotes the development of monitoring and early warning systems based on real-time information. Different climatic databases, which are based on publicly available meteorological information, are...

Water deficiencies are one of the most serious challenges to crop productivity. To improve our understanding of soil moisture stress, we performed RNA-Seq analysis using roots from 4-week-old rice seedlings grown in soil that had been subjected to drought conditions for 2-3 d. In all, 1,098 genes were up-regulated in response to soil moisture stress for 3 d, which causes severe damage in root d...

Genetic variation gives plants the potential to adapt to stressful environments that often exist beyond their geographic range limits. However, various genetic, physiological or developmental constraints might prevent the process of adaptation. Alternatively, environmentally induced epigenetic changes might sustain populations for several generations in stressful areas across range boundaries, ...

Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) is a perennial crop producing deep roots and thus highly tolerant to soil water deficit conditions. However, seedling establishment in the field is very susceptible to prolonged and periodic drought stress. In this study, a "sandwich" system simulating a gradual water deletion process was developed. Switchgrass seedlings were subjected to a 20-day gradual drought ...

The impacts of severe droughts on human activities, terrestrial ecosystems, and hydrologic systems are wide ranging and easily discernible. Because these impacts are felt at different times by water users, various forms of drought are recognized (e.g. agricultural, hydrological). The purpose of this study is to examine spatial patterns of drought in the contiguous United States on a seasonal ba...

Quantitative trait loci conferring high grain yield under drought in rice are important genomic resources for climate resilient breeding. Major and consistent drought grain yield QTLs usually co-locate with flowering and/or plant height QTLs, which could be due to either linkage or pleiotropy. Five mapping populations used for the identification of major and consistent drought grain yield QTLs ...