Abiotic Stress Management in Vegetable Crops

Abstract

Vegetables are highly sensitive in nature thus affected by various biotic and abiotic stress. Any adverse effect of non-living elements on living things in a particular habitat is known as abiotic stress. The production and productivity of vegetable crops got highly effected by the extreme event of climate change i.e, heat stress, water stress, drought, heavy rainfall, salinity etc. Vegetables are full of various nutrients which help in lowering the risk of various diseases such as cancer, heart disease, blood pressure, diabetes etc. Most of the vegetables contain more than 90% of water thus highly sensitive to climate change. Sudden change in climatic factors like in temperature affects all stages of plant growth, pollination, flowering and fruiting which directly reduces the yields and quality of major vegetables. Vegetable crops like beans or tomatoes may lose some of their blossoms at such high temperatures, especially in dry or windy conditions, which will lead to a poor fruit set. High temperatures may harm sweet corn pollination and result in inadequately filled ears of corn. Few fruits are produced because cucurbits (the family that includes pumpkins and squash) typically develop mostly male flowers when temperatures are high.