As climate change drives more frequent and intense heat waves, plants face growing challenges to survive and remain productive. Researchers at VIB, Ghent University, KU Leuven, and their international collaborators have now uncovered an evolutionary innovation that helps plants cope with high temperatures. Published in Nature Plants, the study uncovers a molecular mechanism that helps plants stay cool under heat stress and could help researchers identify new ways to strengthen crop resilience.
In short:
Researchers led by Prof. Ive De Smet (VIB-UGent) discovered a molecular mechanism that helps plants stay cool during heat stress by keeping their natural cooling system active.
The study, published in Nature Plants, identifies the protein UBP24 as a key regulator that helps leaf pores (stomata) remain open, allowing plants to cool themselves through evaporation.
The mechanism appears to be an evolutionary innovation that emerged alongside actively controlled stomata, helping plants better adapt to rising temperatures.
The findings provide new insights into plant heat resilience and could support future efforts to develop crops better equipped for climate change and more frequent heat waves.
Keeping cool when temperatures rise
Unlike animals, plants cannot move to a cooler location when temperatures soar. Instead, they rely on built-in mechanisms to avoid overheating.
One of the most important cooling mechanisms involves tiny pores on the leaf surface called stomata. When temperatures increase, these pores can open, allowing water to evaporate and cool the leaf, much like how sweating cools the human body. Scientists have long known that stomata help plants cope with heat, but many of the underlying molecular processes remained poorly understood.
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