Potassium in Plants: Possible Functions, Mechanisms and Proteomics Under Abiotic Environmental Stress

Potassium (K+) is the essential plant mineral for healthy plant development and functioning. Potassium is essential for protein synthesis, carbohydrate metabolism, and the stimulation of enzymes, it is also a structural component of plants. The regulation of stomata and photosynthesis are just two of the many physiological systems that rely on K+. Recent decades have revealed that K+ confers resistance to abiotic stresses. Potassium aids in ion homeostasis and osmotic regulation under salt duress. It controls stomatal opening and aids plant adaptation during drought stress. The idea that K+ improves plants’ antioxidant defense and shields them from oxidative stress in the face of a wide range of external stresses is supported by a number of studies. In addition, this component can function as a messenger molecule or a phytohormone, or it can do both. Despite significant advances, the precise molecular pathways of potassium encouraged abiotic stress tolerance in plants remain to be elucidated. Recent research on the abiotic roles of potassium, including its absorption, distribution, and involvement in plant tolerance to biotic and abiotic stress with molecular insights and signaling pathways, are summarized in this chapter.