Researchers at the Lahore University of Management Sciences have contributed to an international study that identified two chemical compounds that could help plants better withstand drought. The research, published in the peer reviewed journal Nature Communications, was co-authored by LUMS Associate Professor Dr. Khurram Bashir and PhD researcher Farhan Aziz, alongside scientists from Japan, Italy, Germany and Spain.
The researchers identified a small molecule called NS5806 and its derivative, UA49, both of which can improve drought tolerance in plants. The compounds influence potassium channel activity and help regulate the opening and closing of stomata, the microscopic pores on plant leaves that control water loss and gas exchange, positioning them as a potential mechanism for helping crops manage water stress more effectively.
Plants normally produce the hormone abscisic acid during drought conditions, causing their stomata to close and reducing water loss, but applying the hormone externally can delay seed germination and stunt root growth, creating a tradeoff that has limited its practical agricultural application. Laboratory experiments showed that NS5806 and UA49 could provide drought tolerance benefits without causing these side effects, with the findings suggesting the compounds work through an alternative signalling pathway distinct from the hormone’s natural mechanism.
The study also identified a previously unknown connection between potassium channel activity and calcium signalling in guard cells, which control stomatal movement, adding a new dimension to the scientific understanding of how plants regulate water loss under stress. The discovery could eventually help efforts to develop crops that require less water and can better survive drought conditions, though researchers stressed that the finding remains at an early stage, with the compounds still needing extensive testing on major agricultural crops under real world field conditions before they can be considered for practical agricultural use.
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