Crop productivity is impaired by stress factors, biotic or abiotic. The main are pathogens, diseases, insects, cold, heat, salinity, drought, radiation and others. Among these unfavorable conditions, drought is one of main occurrences and negatively affects crop development. This environmental adversity generally induces the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). These molecules lead to oxidative stress, and at high levels cause cell effects, like loss of organelle functions, electrolyte leakage, and reduction in metabolic efficiency. High concentration of ROS in cells can still cause molecular damage that include damage in proteins, amino acids, and lipids, and even lead to cell death. To neutralize these damages, plants increase enzymatic antioxidant activity and non-enzymatic antioxidant contents. ROS are essential to life in plants, and at basal levels performs cellular functions, such as signaling and defense responses. Here, we focus on the ROS production, the involvement and damages of these species in water deficit condition, changes in activity of antioxidant enzymes and non-enzymatic antioxidant contents in plants under drought stress. In addition, the signaling reactions of ROS under stress water restriction, changes on yield components of species under water deficit and the antioxidant genes involved in plant responses to stress were also addressed.

The aim was to evaluate the interactive effects on biochemistry and physiology of soybean plants exposed to simultaneous xenobiotic and water deficit stresses, and the possible attenuation of plant damage by an antioxidant agent. Soybean plants were submitted to eight different soil water potentials, in two experiments (first experiment: −0.96, −0.38, −0.07, −0.02 MPa, and second experiment: −3.09, −1.38, −0.69, −0.14 MPa), xenobiotic, and antioxidant agent applications. Was observed a reduction in water status, gas exchange, photosynthetic pigments, photosystem II quantum yield, and increased leaf temperature in plants under low water availability. Water deficit also induced oxidative stress by the increased production of reactive oxygen species, cellular and molecular damage, and induction of the antioxidant defense metabolism, reduction of gas exchange, water status, and photosynthetic efficiency. The xenobiotic application also caused changes, with deleterious effects more pronounced in low soil water availability, mainly the reactive oxygen species production, consequently the antioxidant activity, and the oxidative damages. This indicates different responses to the combination of stresses. Antioxidant enzyme activity was reduced by the application of the antioxidant agent. Principal Component Analysis showed a relation with the antioxidant agent and reactive oxygen species, which is probably due to signaling function, and with defense antioxidant system, mainly glutathione, represented by thiols.

Plants are directly exposed to several biotic factors. Among these, mite species belonging to the superfamilies Eriophyoidea and Tetranychoidea stand out due to their ability to injure or even transmit viruses to their host plants. In response to infestations by these organisms, reactive oxygen species (ROS), regulated by enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants (homeostasis), can act as signaling molecules to induce defenses or even acclimatization in attacked plants. However, depending on the severity of the stress, there can be an imbalance between ROS and antioxidants that can result in oxidative stress, leading to membrane damage by lipid peroxidation, organelle inactivation, and even cell death. In this review, we outline for the first time the current state of understanding regarding the role of cellular processes in ROS metabolism, such as signaling, the potential damage induced by ROS, and the defense role of enzymatic antioxidant systems involved in the plant–mite relationship. Furthermore, we identify several gaps between redox metabolism and plant defense against phytophagous mites.