ABSTRACT
Global crop production, whether for timber, human consumption, fodder, or ornamental purposes, is frequently challenged by limited water availability, which includes encroaching deserts and climate change associated with worldwide warming trends. Crop growth and productivity are characteristically diminished in instances where the supply of water is insuffi cient, a common consequence of reduced photosynthesis and transpiration induced by water defi cit stress (Boyer 1982; Vincent et al. 2005; Fan et al. 2006). Drought stress often stunts vegetative growth, causes fl ower abortion, and promotes oxidative stress leading to leaf senescence (Cothren 1999; Pinheiro et al. 2004; Farouk and Amany 2012). Drought can transform arable regions into less arable or non-arable lands, shifting cropping patterns in attempts to compensate for limited water availability, and such changes frequently result in alterations in pest complexes driven by human planting decisions (Showler 2012a).
