Modern agriculture faces challenges such as soil salinity, high temperatures, moisture deficiency, and land depletion due to pesticides. Belgorod State University mentioned that one solution is to use plant varieties adapted to harsh conditions. Scientists studied the response mechanisms of the most important agricultural crop (potatoes) to harsh conditions, particularly salt stress. As a result of their work using bioinformatics techniques, researchers identified 29 genes in the potato genome that are involved in the endoplasmic reticulum stress response and determined their behavior.
As scientists pointed out, understanding these molecular mechanisms paves the way for two main areas: developing new stress-resistant potato varieties and creating microbial preparations to enhance their resistance. Solyanikova added: “Microorganisms help plants adapt by synthesizing growth hormones and increasing mineral availability. However, not all behave the same way, so our goal is to develop drugs based on studying the interactions between microorganisms and macroscopic organisms.”
The study concluded that at this stage, university specialists intend to focus on creating complex biological preparations that not only enhance potatoes’ stress resistance but also protect them from pathogens, reducing pesticide use and yielding more environmentally friendly crops.
