Climate change has rapidly increased incidences of frequent extreme abiotic stresses, such as heat, drought, salinity, and waterlogging. Each of these stressors negatively affects the cotton crop (Gossypium spp.) and results in significant yield decreases. Every stressful event causes specific changes in the metabolism and physiology of plants, which are linked to complex molecular alterations. Understanding the molecular mechanisms that regulate a plant’s response to stress is essential to developing stress-resistant cotton varieties that can withstand various stress factors. Gene expressions in response to multiple stresses have been studied and mapped. These genes include ion transporters and heat shock proteins, which are vital to allowing adaptive responses. These approaches showed the ability to employ advanced genome sequencing and multi-omics techniques to identify dynamic gene expression patterns and elucidate intricate regulatory networks. Using genetic variation in combination with molecular techniques, it would be possible to generate stress-resilient cotton varieties that would enable sustainable cotton output in the face of abiotic stresses. Here, we reviewed the effects of major abiotic stressors on cotton plants, such as heat, salinity, drought, heavy metals, and waterlogging. We also examine the vast network of proteins, genes, and stress-sensitive signaling pathways that help cotton tolerate abiotic stress.

Fruit and shoot borer is a major pest in brinjal (Solanum melongena L.), causing 60%–70% yield losses even after repeated insecticidal sprays. To reduce yield losses caused by this insect, transgenic plants expressing cry1F gene driven by the CaMV35S promoter were developed in four brinjal cultivars, viz., ‘Manjarigota’, ‘Ruchira’, ‘Poona selection’, and ‘Krishna kathi’. The kanamycin concentration was standardized and 50 mg/l was found to be optimum based on lethality of the explants. Cultivar ‘Ruchira’ exhibited highest (19.8%) transformation efficiency. Agrobacterium concentration of 0.2 at optical density₆₀₀ (OD₆₀₀) was found to be optimum. Highest transformation efficiency was obtained using 7-day-old shoot tip explants, which were pre-cultured for 2 days on the Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium containing 2 mg/1 benzylaminopurine (BAP) and 0.1 mg/1 indole-3-acetic acid (IAA). Explants were co-cultivated with Agrobacterium for 3 days, and then transferred to MS medium supplemented with 2 mg/1 BAP, 0.1 mg/1 IAA, 50 mg/l kanamycin, 250 mg/l cephotaxime, and 250 mg/l carbenicillin. These explants were maintained for 4–5 weeks. Rooting was done on MS medium supplemented with 1 mg/1 indole-3-butyric acid (IBA). Selected kanamycin-resistant putatively transformed brinjal lines were evaluated via polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of expected 1900 bp size fragment with cry1F gene-specific primers. These transgenic lines may be effectively used for controlling fruit and shoot borer in brinjal.

Climate change has resulted in increased incidences of abiotic stresses, such as heat, drought, salinity, and waterlogging. These stressors have a negative impact on the cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) crop and cause significant yield losses. Each stressor induces specific physiological and metabolic alterations interconnected with the complex changes at molecular levels. Understanding the molecular pathways that govern the cotton plant's stress responses is crucial to develop stress-tolerant cotton cultivars that can withstand different stresses. Molecular investigations have mapped the changes in the expression of stress-responsive genes, encompassing heat shock proteins and ion transporters, which play a vital role in facilitating adaptive responses. These approaches have been shown to help identify dynamic gene expression patterns and elucidate intricate regulatory networks using advanced metagenomics and multi-omics techniques. By leveraging genetic diversity and utilizing advanced molecular methods, it would be possible to develop stress-resilient cotton varieties to ensure sustainable cotton production in the face of abiotic stresses. This review provides an overview of the effects of various abiotic stressors on cotton plants, including drought, salt, heat, and waterlogged soil. We also explore the extensive network of stress-responsive genes, proteins, and signaling pathways in cotton by summarizing the studies on gene expression regulation, proteins involved in stress response, and biochemical characteristics.

The present investigation was undertaken for developing a high frequency regeneration system, as an essential pre-requisite for the genetic transformation in brinjal. Regeneration of multiple shoots via callus induction and organogenesis was achieved using cotyledons, hypocotyls and roots as explants at various concentrations and combinations of growth regulators. Hundred percent callus induction was observed in cotyledon and hypocotyl explants when cultured on medium supplemented with BAP or Zeatin. Earliest callus induction was observed in cotyledon explants (8.03 days). The MSB₅ media supplemented with 2 mg/l zeatin + 0.1 mg/l IBA found to be the best medium with regards to number of days requires for callus induction and shoot induction, number of shoot buds formed per explant and regeneration frequency. Among explants used cotyledons found to be give best response to shoot induction and number of shoot bud formation (87.50% and 24) and followed by hypocotyls (83.33% and 22) and root explant (69.17% and 12). In vitro rooting (53.33%) was obtained within 13 days on MSB₅ media supplemented with 1mg/l IBA. The in vitro rooted plantlets were successfully established in polycabonated polyhouse with 92% survival rate.

Simarouba (Simarouba glauca DC) is polygamodioecious perennial, popularized as an important oilseed tree crop for cultivation on wasteland. In simarouba only female plants are valued for commercial production of fruits and seeds, therefore early sex identification of male and female genotypes before planting becomes essential, as excess of male plants can be discarded at seedling stage. To distinguish male genotypes from female genotypes early in the seedling stage, 69 random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) primers and 12 inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) primers were used to screen DNA bulk samples from 5 male and 15 female plants. Fifty three out of the 69 RAPD primers resulted in 373 reproducible RAPD bands with an average of 7 fragments amplified per primer. Five RAPD primers (OPC 06, OPC 16, OPD 15, OPE 05 and OPD 12) and two ISSR primers (ISSR 824 and ISSR 864) produced distinguishing banding pattern for male and female bulk samples. These seven markers were then used to screen individual 5 male and 15 female plants; RAPD primer OPE 05 consistently reproduced a male-specific fragment (521 bp), which was absent in all female plants. These results indicated that marker OPE-05₅₂₁ may be a male-specific marker and may be used for sex characterization in simarouba at an early stage of plant growth.