LAUSR

The growth, survival and productivity of plants are constantly challenged by diverse abiotic stresses. When plants are exposed to stress for the first time, they can capture the molecular information and store it as memory, which enables them to competently and rapidly respond to the subsequent stress(es). Such a process is referred as priming-induced or acquired stress response. In this review, we discuss how (i) storage and retrieval of the information from stress memory modulates plant physiological, cellular and molecular processes in response to subsequent stress(es), (ii) the intensity, recurrence and duration of priming stimuli influences the stress response outcomes, and (iii) the varying responses of different plant developmental stages. We highlight the current understanding of the distinct and common molecular processes manifested at the epigenetic, (post-) transcriptional and post-translational levels mediated by stress-associated molecules and metabolites including phytohormones. We conclude by emphasizing how unravelling the molecular circuitry underlying diverse priming stimuli-induced stress response can propel usage of priming as a management practice for crop plants. This in combination with precision agriculture could aid in increasing the yield quantity and quality to meet the alarmingly rising food demand.