Climate change challenges, plant science solutions

Authors: ECKARDT, NANCY - American Society Of Plant Biologists; Ainsworth, Elizabeth - Lisa; BAHUGUNA, RAJEEV - Dr Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University; BROADLEY, MARTIN - University Of Nottingham; BUSCH, WOLFGANG - Salk Institute; CARPITA, NICHOLAS - National Renewable Energy Laboatory; CASTRILLO, GABRIEL - University Of Nottingham; CHORY, JOANNE - Salk Institute; DEHAAN, LEE - The Land Institute; DUARTE, CARLOS - King Abdullah University Of Science And Technology

Submitted to: The Plant Cell
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/4/2022
Publication Date: 10/12/2022
Citation: Eckardt, N.A., Ainsworth, E.A., Bahuguna, R.N., Broadley, M.R., Busch, W., Carpita, N.C., Castrillo, G., Chory, J., DeHaan, L.R., Duarte, C.M., et al, 2022. Climate change challenges, plant science solutions. The Plant Cell. 35(1):24-66. https://doi.org/10.1093/plcell/koac303.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/plcell/koac303

Interpretive Summary: Climate change is a defining challenge of the 21st century, and the 2020s is a critical decade for action to mitigate the worst effects on human populations and ecosystems. Plant science can play an important role in developing crops with enhanced resilience to harsh conditions (e.g., heat, drought, salt stress, flooding, disease outbreaks) and engineering efficient carbon-capturing and carbon-sequestering plants. We present examples of research being conducted in these areas and discuss their challenges and open questions as a call to action for the plant science community. We discuss research aimed at improving carbon sequestering capacity and climate resilience in crop plants to illustrate how plant science can help to mitigate climate change and enhance food security.

Technical Abstract: Climate change is a defining challenge of the 21st century, and this decade is a critical time for action to mitigate the worst effects on human populations and ecosystems. Plant science can play an important role in developing crops with enhanced resilience to harsh conditions (e.g. heat, drought, salt stress, flooding, disease outbreaks) and engineering efficient carbon-capturing and carbon-sequestering plants. Here, we present examples of research being conducted in these areas and discuss challenges and open questions as a call to action for the plant science community.