Approaches for Incorporating Drought and Salinity Resistance in Crop Plants

Crop growth and productivity are significantly impacted by a wide range of adverse environmental and soil conditions, such as drought and soil salinity, which are among the most prevalent stressors. Given the limited availability of arable land and the growing population pressure in many developing countries, it is essential that crop yields are not compromised on any cultivable land. Breeding crop varieties that are resistant to drought and salinity stress is therefore of great importance. However, several challenges have limited the exploitation of genetic resistance, including the lack of (i) a clear definition of the level of stress relevant to crop productivity, (ii) reliable screening procedures for identifying genotypes that exhibit stability of performance under stress conditions, and (iii) understanding of the processes that directly and indirectly influence the development of resistance. This book provides a comprehensive overview of drought and salinity stress and the breeding approaches for achieving resistance to these stresses. The contributions in this book are from a leading expert in the field, making it an indispensable resource for students and researchers interested in this topic.