Abiotic stress is one of the major environmental stresses that decrease crop growth and yield even in irrigated soils worldwide. An important plant hormone abscisic acid (ABA) plays a vital role in addressing various stresses, such as thermal or heat stress, high salinity level, heavy metal stress, low temperature, drought, and stress on radiation. Its role is well explained in different processes for development, including germination of seed, stomata closure, and dormancy. Abscisic acid works through alteration of the gene expression levels and subsequently analyzing the cis and trans-regulatory components for receptive promoters. It is considered to have an interaction with the signaling elements of processes taking part in stress response and seed development. In general, a plant can be vulnerable or tolerant to stress when the correlated actions of different stress-reacting genes are considered. Many transcription factors are required for the regulation of expression of abscisic acid-responsive genes through interacting with their specific cis-acting components. Therefore, the mechanism behind it should be understood to make the plants stress-tolerant. This review explains the significance and function of ABA signaling concerning specific stress, the management of abscisic acid biosynthesis, and transcription factors (TFs) associated with stress tolerance.

Radish, one of the important root vegetables, is widely grown in the world due to its easy cultivation, short duration, growing habit, and adaptability to various growing conditions. However, it is still extremely difficult to produce good quality radish roots due to its vulnerability to different preharvest physiological disorders. Important physiological disorders that significantly reduce the yield and quality of radish are forking, pithiness/sponginess, cracking/splitting, hollowness, and internal browning. Different abiotic factors like moisture stress, temperature fluctuation, growing medium, nutrient imbalance, plant density and harvesting time cause a disturbance in the metabolic activities of root tissues that produce non-marketable roots. Therefore, this review provides a detail insight on the causes, physiology of these disorders, and the management practices to prevent them to produce commercial quality roots. This comprehensive knowledge will not only help the growers, but it will provide relative information for researchers as well to control these disorders through breeding innovations and biotechnological tools.

CRISPR–Cas genome editing technology developed from prokaryotes has transformed the molecular biology of plants past all assumptions. CRISPR–Cas, which is distinguished by its resilience, relatively high specificity, and easy implementation, enables specific genetic modification of crops, allowing for the creation of germplasms with favorable characters and the development of innovative, highly efficient agricultural systems. Moreover, many new biotechnologies in the framework of CRISPR–Cas platforms have bolstered basic research as well as synthetic biology toolkit of plants. In this article, initially, we provide a brief overview of CRISPR–Cas gene editing, emphasis on the modern, most specific gene-editing techniques, such as prime and base editing. Following that, the major role of CRISPR–Cas in plants in enhancing pesticide and disease resistance, quality, yield, breeding, and faster domestication are next discussed. In this review, we discuss the current advancements in plant biotechnology linked to CRISPR–Cas, such as CRISPR–Cas gene control, reagent conveyance, multiplexed gene editing, directed evolution, and mutagenesis. In the end, we talk about how this innovative technology may be used in the future.

Tomato (Lycopersicum esculentum L.) is one of the most economically important plants in the Solanaceae family. Water scarcity is one of the major climatic constraints which is affecting all crops including tomato in the world. Selection of water stress tolerant cultivars is an important strategy to overcome this problem. Therefore the present research was conducted to determine the effect PEG induced water stress on germination percentage and early growth stages of tomato seedlings. Fifteen different tomato genotypes were screened under in-vitro conditions using two different concentrations of PEG (2% and 4%). The experiment was arranged in a completely randomized design (CRD) with three replications. Parameters like germination percentage (%), root length (cm), shoot length (cm) and seedling biomass (g) were recorded during the experiment. Results indicated that PEG induced water stress significantly reduced germination percentage (%) and other growth parameters in drought susceptible tomato genotypes (RUS-1, Rustam, R-2017, Pakit, 17904, Kashmiri, Kiara, Avinash, and K.K.2). Whereas in other genotypes “R. Wonder, Naqeeb, Rio grande, T-4, Patfeeder and Nagina” all parameters increase with an increase in PEG concentration. However among these genotypes, “Patfeeder” exhibited highest germination percentage (100 %) with maximum root and shoot length and seedling biomass at highest PEG concentration 4%. Based on experimental results, “Patfeeder” was considered a drought tolerant genotype due to its better performance in different levels of water stress.

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