Polyamines and hydrogen peroxide: Allies in plant resilience against abiotic stress

The increasing prevalence and severity of abiotic stresses on plants due to climate change is among the crucial issues of decreased crop productivity worldwide. These stresses affect crop productivity and pose a challenge to food security. Polyamines (Pas) and hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) could play a vital role to minimize the impact of several abiotic stresses on the plants. Pas are small molecules that regulate various physiological and developmental processes in plants and confer stress tolerance and protection against dehydration and cellular damage. Pas also interact with plant growth regulators and participate in various signaling routes that can mediate stress response. H₂O₂ on the other hand, acts as a signaling agent and plays a pivotal part in controlling crop growth and productivity. It can trigger oxidative damage at high levels but acts as a stress transducer and regulator at low concentrations. H₂O₂ is involved in stress defense mechanisms and the activation of genes involved in conferring tolerance. Therefore, the main focus of this paper is to explore roles of Pas and H₂O₂ in plant responses to various abiotic stress, highlighting their involvement in stress retaliation and signaling routes. Emphasis has been placed on understanding how Pas and H₂O₂ function and interact with other signaling molecules. Also, interaction of Pas and H₂O₂ with calcium ions, abscisic acid and nitrogen has been discussed, along with activation of MAPK cascade. This additive understanding could contribute to adopt strategies to improve crop productivity and enhance plant resilience to environmental challenges. © 2024 Elsevier Ltd