Abiotic Stress and Anthocyanins Biosynthesis in Arabidopsis thaliana

Crops and farmers today are facing unprecedented challenges due to the changing environment. The plants of the future need to be hardy to survive harsh environmental conditions such as increased temperature, and prolonged droughts. It is imperative to understand the mechanisms plants employ to protect themselves under these types of stresses. Anthocyanins are pigments of the flavonoid subclass produced by plants. They impart red to purple color to flowers, fruits, and seeds. They also have antioxidant properties and they contribute to stress tolerance in plants. They are understood to be produced under abiotic stresses in order to protect the plant. It is speculated that they serve as an antioxidant that quenches the reactive oxygen species that are generated under abiotic stress conditions. Arabidopsis thaliana is one of the model organisms used in plant research. The availability of extensive genetic and physical maps of its chromosomes, a short life cycle, and marked growth stages makes this plant ideal for study. In this study, Arabidopsis thaliana plants were subjected to abiotic stress conditions such as high light intensity, atypical soil pH, and cold temperature. The anthocyanin productions in these plants were quantitatively analyzed.