Plant responses to water deficit

Plant responses to water deficit are dependent on the amount of water lost, the rate of loss and the duration of the stressed condition. The characterization of a large number of genes induced by stresses involving water deficit has significantly improved understanding of the response. There appear to be several pathways for gene induction involved, and these are being elucidated by the analysis of DNA elements, mutants and gene expression patterns. However, it has been difficult to resolve the functions of many drought-induced genes against the background of other stress-induced changes, and thus it is now important to integrate information about cellular and whole plant responses.