Molecular Insights into the Modulation of Gene Expression in Trees Under Abiotic Stresses

Trees are constantly exposed to environmental stresses due to climatic variations over time across geographical places. Trees have evolved various molecular processes to govern growth and development under challenging conditions, reducing the impact on their growth and development. Over time, stress measurement tools and software advanced dramatically, increasing our understanding of how woody plants respond physiologically to various stresses. However, it is only recently that advances in biochemical and next-generation sequencing approaches enabled us to investigate the complicated molecular networks that underpin the stress physiology in woody trees. This chapter looks at recent breakthroughs in understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying how trees adapt to different abiotic stresses. We further focus on functional, hormonal cascades, epigenetic, and small RNA-mediated responses in trees against abiotic stresses.