ABA Regulation of the Cold Stress Response in Plants

Low temperature is a major environmental factor that limits plant growth, productivity, and distribution. To ensure optimal growth and survival, plants must respond and adapt to cold stress using a variety of biochemical and physiological processes. Currently, the most thoroughly understood cold-signalling pathway is the C-repeat binding factor/DRE-binding factor (CBF/DREB) transcriptional regulatory cascade. Abscisic acid (ABA) is an important stress hormone in plants that has been demonstrated to be involved in the cold stress response through regulation of a set of specific stress-responsive genes. The current consensus is that both ABA-dependent and ABA-independent pathways are involved in plant responses to cold stress. This chapter summarises recent progress made in our understanding of cold signalling and the role of ABA in cold stress, and we also address cross talk between ABA and several classical phytohormones that integrate with cold signalling.