Plants lose water through pores in the epidermis known as stomata. They can adjust the apertures of these pores to increase or decrease stomatal water loss and can also make small adjustments to stomatal development to produce leaves that are better suited to environmental conditions. By manipulating the levels of epidermal patterning factor peptides we have produced crops with much lower or much higher densities of stomata than occur naturally. Modified crops with substantially reduced stomatal density have lower levels of stomatal conductance and water loss and show enhanced drought tolerance. They require less water to grow, and yet maintain seed yields. For example, rice plants with approximately half the usual number of stomata, use only 60% of the normal amount of water, are better able to survive drought and still yield well. When grown in saline conditions they accumulate less salt and have better survival rates. Thus, crops with decreased stomatal conductance can maintain yields under stressful conditions and could perhaps help to mitigate the impacts of climate change on food security.

water,saving,rice