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Not AvailableAshwagandha (W. somnifera Dunal. Linn.), known as Indian ginseng, contains three major bioactive compounds, withaferin-A (WA), 12-deoxywithastramonolide (WO) and withanoloide A (WD). In a field experiment, the impacts of foliar application of growth retardants/promoters was assessed with respect to biomass allocation pattern and major withanoloide content at different phenological stages in W. somnifera. Biomass accumulation pattern showed that foliar application of 500 mg l 1 ethrel at 50, 65, 85, 105, and 120 days after sowing (DAS) restricted phenological progression and reduced berry weight by 61% as comparted to the control at 160 DAS. 500 mg l 1 succinic acid foliar application resulted in maximum plant height (56.4 cm), maximum dry stem weight (DWS) and dry root weight (DRW) whereas 500 mg l 1 ethrel had resulted in minimum plant height and DRW at 180 DAS. During last 50 days of crop growth, the accumulation pattern drastically changed with more than 60% of the biomass allotment to the reproductive part, the berries. The WD in roots ranged between 0.325 mg g 1 and 0.342 mg g 1 during all growth stages. WA content decreased with increase in progression of crop growth and reached the lowest at 180–190 DAS. In a pot experiment, ethrel application up regulated DWF-5 by 2.44, SQE by 3.79 and CYP450s by 1.17 log2fold in roots 8 h after treatment and succinic acid had up regulated the expression of all these genes by nearly 3 log2fold change. This is in accordance with the withanoloide accumulation pattern in field condition under foliar application of these molecules.Not Availabl

Plant photosynthesis under abiotic stresses: Damages, adaptive, and signaling mechanisms

Photosynthesis is crucial for sustaining life on this planet and necessary for plant growth and development. Abiotic stresses such as high and low temperatures, and excess, or deficit of water limit the crucial plant processes, thus threatening the global food security. However, recent molecular approaches allowed elucidation of the photosynthetic components/compounds and their efficiency under stress conditions. In the present scenario, these approaches are not enough to reduce the yield penalty due to the reduction in photosynthetic efficiency. Therefore, comprehensive data on plant behavior and stress crosstalk networks could assist in understanding the in-depth mechanism of photosynthesis. In recent years, information regarding crosstalk, signaling characterization of candidate genes, and responses to multiple stressors have advanced our knowledge to understand the mechanism of photosynthesis. Therefore, in this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of various studies conducted on photosynthesis under multiple abiotic stress factors that affect the photosynthetic efficiency of a plant. We also discuss the role of crosstalk signaling compounds (plant growth regulators and micro RNAs) for an in-depth understanding of the photosynthesis mechanism. Finally, based on our gathered data set, the mechanism of damage and adaptive response of photosynthesis under multiple stressors are explained to enhance the scientific community's knowledge toward boosting photosynthesis and to accelerate stress tolerance strategies for crop improvement