Abiotic Stressor

A wide range of natural, non-biological causing, effects that can influence the behaviour of a plant. Examples include:

Low temperatures, having a chilling or freezing effect.

High temperatures, causing dehydration, plant wilting, and increased evapo-transpiration leading to water deficiency.

Excess of water, from flooding or waterlogging, causing root rot, anaerobic soil conditions.

Deficiency of water, causing wilting, drought conditions, a weakened more easily worn turf, and plant death.

High salt concentrations in the soil, causing dehydration (plasmolysis) and plant death.

Heavy metals in soils, create toxic environments for plant growth.

Light scarcity, leading to weakened growth and increasing disease susceptibility.

Light excess, leading to oxidative stress. This increases the formation of reactive oxygen elements in cells, resulting in cell injury and death if the plant does not counter this with increased antioxidant molecules.


(Grene R. Oxidative stress and acclimation mechanisms in plants. Arabidopsis Book. 2002;1:e0036. doi: 10.1199/tab.0036.1. Epub 2002 Apr 4. PMID: 22303206; PMCID: PMC3243402.)