Research Projects

Global crop production needs to be raised up to ~70% to 85% as population increases to more than 9 billion by the year 2050. However, rise in anthropogenic emission of greenhouse gases (GHGs) are found to cause air pollution and climate change and which are interconnected and combinedly posing serious threats to the world food and nutritional security. Elevated [CO2], global warming, augmented ozone levels and altered precipitation patterns are major climate-related environmental challenges. Therefore, for better food and nutritional security, future agriculture systems require tailored solutions to incorporate innovative changes in current knowledge and aiding technologies. In addition, addressing the effects of air pollution and climate change are considered to be the most urgent global tasks because of their impact on sustainable development goals (SDGs). Adverse effects of air pollutants in plants beyond their threshold levels are found to cause both stomatal as well as non-stomatal limitations which resulting in reduced photosynthesis and yield. In plants, stomata act as a gateway for the entry of the different air pollutants and crops with reduced stomatal conductance (Gs), induced either by elevated [CO2] or drought, minimized the entry of an important air pollutant so called ozone and disclosed minimal negative effects. Therefore, optimising Gs to minimise the entry of air pollutants without affecting crop photosynthesis may serve as targets for climate change adaptation. Nitric Oxide (NO) is an important redox- active signalling molecule, gained significant attention in plant sciences owing to its multifunctional roles including stimulation of plant growth and development and abiotic stress tolerance. NO could induce stress tolerance in crops by promoting stomatal closure via abscisic acid (ABA) signalling and stimulate antioxidant (enzymatic and non-enzymatic) metabolism which resulting in better photosynthesis as well as crop yield. However, beneficial effects of NO in plants were highly variable and which further depends on plant species, type of stress factor, duration of the stress treatment and concentration of NO. So far, effects of exogenous supply of NO on crops with respect to climate change in conjunction with abiotic stress factors have not been investigated. The pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan L.) is an important legume food crop and is cultivating over 4.67 Mha globally and India is the world’s largest producer (Sreeharsha et al., 2015). Moreover, it is an ample source of protein and dietary fibers for human and animal consumption and therefore have remarkable impact on global food and nutritional security. Therefore, in view of the fast change global climatic conditions and food security, its highly crucial to study the effects of sodium nitroprusside (SNP), a common NO donor, towards the growth and productivity as well as abiotic stress tolerance of pigeonpea for better yields under changing climate.