CURRENT UNDERSTANDING OF THE MECHANISMS OF HEAT STRESS TOLERANCE IN RICE (Oryza sativa L.)

Various studies reported by scientific communities such as NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS) indicated an increase in average global temperature by approx. 0.8 °C since 1880. Rice (Oryza sativa L.), a heat sensitive plant cereal crop could be greatly affected by heat stress due to global temperature rise. Thus, it is envisaged that rice productivity could markedly decrease due to a rise in mean atmospheric temperature. Different studies have been reported possible mechanisms of heat stress tolerance in Rice. The present review will therefore discuss the current fundamental understanding of heat tolerant mechanisms involving heat shock proteins, plant hormones, plant growth regulators, osmoprotectants, and the importance of membrane thermal stability in rice.