ABSTRACT
Various abiotic stresses such as temperature, water deficit, salt and heavy metal, affect plant growth, development and productivity. These induce retardation in photosynthesis, growth and imbalance in nutrient uptake. Sulphur (S) is an imperative macronutrient essential for growth and enhancing tolerance to a stressful environment. Regulation of S metabolism by demand-dependent, membrane-protein-assisted, glutathione-biosynthesis-assisted and hormonal regulation results in alterations at physiological and molecular levels in plants which, in turn, provide tolerance to abiotic stress. S is a fundamental constituent of several metabolites, including cysteine (Cys), methionine (Met), phytochelatins (PCs), metallothioneins (MTs), thioredoxins (TRX) and glactoredoxins (GRX). These S-containing compounds have radical scavenging abilities and thus reverse the negative impact of abiotic stress. The present chapter focuses on understanding the role of S and S-containing metabolites in abiotic stress tolerance.
