ABSTRACT
This chapter summarizes how Nitric Oxide (NO•) modulates physiological and biochemical responses and improves plant acclimation to drought, flooding, heavy metal, salinity, and thermal stresses. It discusses the mechanisms of action of NO• donors in plants under those abiotic stress conditions. The chapter addresses the most commonly used NO• donors in experiments as well as the potential use of nanoparticles that release this radical. Plants are frequently exposed to environmental stresses in both natural and agricultural systems. Abiotic stresses dramatically impact plant growth and crop yield, with more than 50% of the major crop species being impaired by limiting conditions. Plants activate a complex network of multiple responses at molecular, cellular, and physiological levels. Such variety of responses occurs because plants have an effective signaling system, which processes and transfers information about environmental changes to other organs and tissues. These stress-linked signaling networks involve not only classical phytohormones, but also other signaling molecules, including nitric oxide.
