Tomatoes that survive a mild drought remember it and cope better next time
Zhou R, Li Y, Wang G, Chen H, Yu X
Climate Adaptation
If you grow tomatoes, letting seedlings go through a short, mild dry spell before summer heat arrives may leave them better prepared for a later drought, even in a variety that's normally thirsty.
Tomato plants that live through a small dry spell come out better prepared for the next one, using water more carefully and keeping photosynthesis going. A burst of hydrogen peroxide, a reactive chemical the plant makes when stressed, acts as the signal that sets this memory. The protection works for drought but not for heat, and switching off one gene called WRKY26 made plants tougher, so breeders now have a target.
Key Findings
Screening 30 tomato genotypes showed a wide range of basal drought tolerance, but priming improved later drought tolerance in both sensitive and tolerant varieties, so acquired tolerance is independent of basal resistance.
Priming improved photosynthesis and water use efficiency through better stomatal regulation; elevated ROS, especially H2O2, was the key signal that initiated drought memory, and the effect was specific to drought and did not extend to heat stress.
Multi-omics analysis identified 518 memory-associated transcripts, including HSP90, WRKY26 and WRKY31 linked to MAPK signalling and phenylpropanoid biosynthesis; VIGS silencing showed WRKY26 is a negative regulator of acquired drought tolerance.
chevron_right Technical Summary
A mild first dose of drought helps tomato plants handle a later drought better, whether the variety is naturally tough or sensitive. Researchers found the genes and signals behind this 'memory', which could speed up breeding of drought-ready tomatoes.
Abstract Preview
Original paper
Unravelling Mechanisms of Acquired Drought Tolerance by Priming in Tomato Using Integrative Multi-Omics Phenotypic Analysis.
The escalating frequency and intensity of recent droughts threaten global crop production and food security. Although drought priming is crucial for plant drought resilience, the mechanisms imparti...
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