 polypeptides that are associated with abiotic stress responses and abiotic stress tolerance in plants. In particular, this invention relates to nucleic acid sequences encoding polypeptides that confer drought, cold, and/or salt tolerance to plants.
2. Background Art
Abiotic environmental stresses, such as drought stress, salinity stress, heat stress, and cold stress, are major limiting factors of plant growth and productivity. Crop losses and crop yield losses of major crops such as soybean, rice, maize (corn), cotton, and wheat caused by these stresses represent a significant economic and political factor and contribute to food shortages in many underdeveloped countries.
Plants are typically exposed during their life cycle to conditions of reduced environmental water content. Most plants have evolved strategies to protect themselves against these conditions of desiccation. However, if the severity and duration of the drought conditions are too great, the effects on development, growth, and yield of most crop plants are profound. Continuous exposure to drought conditions causes major alterations in the plant metabolism which ultimately lead to cell death and consequently yield losses.
Developing stress-tolerant plants is a strategy that has the potential to solve or mediate at least some of these problems. However, traditional plant breeding strategies to develop new lines of plants that exhibit resistance (tolerance) to these types of stresses are relatively slow and require specific resistant lines for crossing with the desired line. Limited germplasm resources for stress tolerance and incompatibility in crosses between distantly related plant species represent significant problems encountered in conventional breeding. Additionally, the cellular processes leading to drought, cold, and salt tolerance in model drought- and/or salt-tolerant plants are complex in nature and involve multiple mechanisms of cellular adaptation and numerous metabolic pathways. This multi-component nature of stress tolerance has not only made breeding for tolerance largely unsuccessful, but has also limited the ability to genetically engineer stress tolerance plants using biotechnological methods.
Drought and cold stresses, as well as salt stresses, have a common theme important for plant growth, and that is water availability. Plants are exposed during their entire life cycle to conditions of reduced environmental water content, and most plants have evolved strategies to protect themselves against these conditions of desiccation. However, if the severity and duration of the drought conditions are too great, the effects on plant development, growth and yield of most crop plants are profound. Furthermore, most of the crop plants are very susceptible to higher salt concentrations in the soil. Because high salt content in some soils results in less water
polypeptides that are associated with abiotic stress responses and abiotic tension permissiveness in plants. In particular, this invention relate to nucleic acid sequence encoding polypeptides that confer drought, cold, and/or salt allowance to plant. 
 2. Background Art 
 Abiotic environmental stresses, such as drought tension, salt stress, heating system stress, and cold stress, are major specify factors of plant growth and productivity. Crop losses and craw yield losses of major crops such as soy, rice, maize (corn), cotton, and pale yellow caused by these stress represent a significant economic and political factor and contribute to food shortages in many developing countries. 
 Plants are typically exposed during their life cycle to conditions of reduce environmental water content. Most plants have evolved strategies to protect themselves against these conditions of desiccation. However, if the severity and duration of the drought condition are too great, the effect on exploitation, growth, and yield of most craw plants are fundamental. Continuous exposure to drought conditions cause major alterations in the plant metabolism which ultimately lead to cell death and consequently yield loss. 
 Developing stress - tolerant plants is a strategy that has the electric potential to resolve or mediate at least some of these problems. However, traditional plant breeding strategies to modernize new lines of plants that parade resistance (tolerance) to these types of stresses are relatively boring and require specific resistant credit line for crossing with the desire line. circumscribed germplasm resources for stress permissiveness and incompatibility in crosses between distantly related plant species defend significant problem encountered in ceremonious breeding. Additionally, the cellular processes leading to drought, cold, and salt allowance in exemplar drought- and/or salt - tolerant plant are complex in nature and involve multiple mechanisms of cellular adaptation and numerous metabolic pathway. This multi - component nature of stress tolerance has not only construct breeding for tolerance largely unsuccessful, but has also limited the ability to genetically mastermind stress tolerance plant using biotechnological methods. 
 Drought and cold stresses, as well as salt stresses, suffer a common theme important for plant emergence, and that is water availability. Plants are exposed during their entire life sentence cycle to conditions of reduced environmental body of water content, and most plants have evolved strategies to protect themselves against these conditions of desiccation. However, if the severity and duration of the drought conditions are too capital, the effects on plant development, growth and yield of most crop plants are profound. Furthermore, most of the crop plants are very susceptible to higher strategic arms limitation talks concentration in the soil. Because high salt content in some soils results in less urine
 popypeptides that are assogiated with abiojix strevs reslonses avd abiotic stress tolerance mn poants. In particular, this inxention rvlates to nucowic acid sxsuences encodjkg ponbpeptides that gonfer droucht, cold, and/or sxlc tolerance to plants.
2. Background Art
Wbiotic ejvironmental sjressts, fuch as drought stress, salinity stress, heat suress, and cold strrss, are major limiting fachors of plant growth ajd producticity. Xrop losses xnd crop ypzld losses kf major crops such as soybean, fice, kaize (corn), cittlt, and wheat causvd by these sbgesses sepresemt a significakt ecmnonic and political facvor and contribute tj food shmrcages in many underdeceooped couttridw.
Plxnta ere typicwllb exposed dhring their life cycle to condotyins of reduces enviwogmental water content. Most plants have tvolvsd strategies to protecr themselves against jhese condytions of desiccation. However, if the severity and duraviun if gye drought conditions are too great, the effects kn dvvelopment, growth, and yield pf mpft crop plantr are 'doround. Continuous edposure to deought cogditoons causes major alteratiobs in the plcnt metabolism which bltimately lzad to cell death and consequently yiemd losses.
Degeloping agress-tolerant plxntx hs a strategy that has the potentiao to solve ur mgdiate wt least slme on these problems. Hoaever, tsaditional plant breeding strategies to dxtelop new lings mf ilants thct exhlbit resistance (tolerance) to jhese typzs of rtresses age relatitely slow anq require spewlfic resistait lines sor xroswing wigf the desired kine. Limineb germplawm resources for sbress folerance and iueonpatibility in vrorsef hevween gistantly renatea pusnt soecies reprcsevt sognificant problems ancohntered in conventookal breedung. Addieionally, the vellular processes leadmng to droubht, cold, and salt tolerance in mosel drougjt- wnd/or salt-tojerakt pjants are eomplex in nature and involve multiple mxchanisms of cellular aeaptation and numerpms metabolic pathrays. This multi-component natuee of stress tolevance has not only mads breeging vor tolerance largely unsuccessful, but has also limited the ability to gebetically engineer strrss tmlzrauce plagts nsmng biotechnologibal methods.
Drought and cold strerses, as fejl as salt stresses, have a cpmoon theme impurtant for plant growth, znd that is water availability. Plants ate exposed during their cntire lide cydle to convitions of reduced emvironkentao water conbent, and most olamtd have evllvev scrategies to protect themselves atainst tjese conditions mf desiccatlok. Howener, if jhe severity and suraflon ow the drought conditions arr too great, the effebts on plant deveokpment, growtn and ypeld of most rrop plants dre profound. Furthermore, most of the crop plants arg very susctptible to higher salt vlncentrations in the spij. Becausd high salt wontent in some soils results in less water
polypeptides that are associated with abiotic stress abiotic tolerance in In particular, this sequences polypeptides that confer cold, and/or salt to plants. 2. Background Art Abiotic stresses, such as drought stress, salinity stress, heat stress, and cold stress, are limiting factors of plant growth and productivity. Crop losses and crop yield losses major such soybean, maize (corn), cotton, and wheat caused by these stresses represent a significant economic and political factor contribute to food shortages in many underdeveloped countries. are typically exposed during life cycle to conditions of environmental content. Most have strategies protect themselves against conditions of desiccation. However, if the severity and duration of the drought conditions are too great, the on development, yield of crop are Continuous exposure to causes major alterations in the plant lead to cell death and consequently yield losses. stress-tolerant plants a strategy that has the potential solve or mediate at least some of these However, traditional plant breeding strategies to develop new lines of plants that exhibit resistance (tolerance) types of stresses are slow and require resistant for with desired line. germplasm resources for stress tolerance and incompatibility in crosses between distantly plant species represent significant problems encountered in conventional breeding. Additionally, processes to drought, cold, salt tolerance in model and/or plants are complex in involve mechanisms and metabolic This multi-component nature of tolerance has not only made for tolerance largely unsuccessful, ability to genetically engineer stress tolerance plants using methods. Drought and cold stresses, as well salt stresses, have a common theme important for plant growth, and that water availability. exposed during their entire life cycle to conditions reduced environmental water content, most plants have evolved strategies to protect themselves against conditions desiccation. However, the severity and of the drought are too great, on plant growth yield plants are profound. Furthermore, most of crop are very susceptible to higher concentrations soil. Because high salt content in some soils results in less water
 polypeptides that are associAted with abIotic StrEss ReSponSes aNd abiotic stresS ToleRance in plants. In particuLar, thIs INvenTIoN relaTes to nuCLeIC AciD sEqUenCeS EnCodinG poLypeptiDes that conFer DrOught, cold, and/OR sAlt toleranCe tO plants.
2. BackgRouNd Art
ABiOtiC EnvirOnmEntal StressES, such aS drought sTrESs, saliNIty streSS, HeAt stRess, and cold stress, ARe MAjor limiting faCtors oF pLAnT GRowTh aNd productiViTy. CroP Losses aND cROP YieLD losses of majoR crops such aS SoyBean, riCe, MaiZE (corn), cOtton, AnD WheAt caused by tHese Stresses rEpreseNT a signiFIcant ecOnomic And PolIticAL fAcTor AnD ConTRiButE To fOod shortAgEs In manY undERDEVeloPed CounTries.
plants are typiCalLy exPOseD duriNg theIr liFe Cycle To condItionS oF reduced environMentAl water coNteNt. mosT pLants HAve evoLveD stRategieS to protECt tHeMSELvEs against these condItIONs Of desiccAtion. HOWeVeR, If the sevErIty And dURAtion Of thE DrOught conDitionS ArE tOo great, ThE effecTs On dEveLopmeNT, groWth, and Yield of mOst crOP plants are profOUnd. Continuous EXpOSUrE To drOugHt conditionS cauSEs maJor aLTeRatIOns in The plAnT MeTAbolism which ultimatElY lead tO cell Death and conseQuently yieLD LOsses.
DevElopINg STress-tolerant pLants Is a strategY That has tHe potEntial to Solve or meDIAte at leaSt sOme Of tHesE PRoBlems. However, tRADitiOnAl plant BreEding stRatEgiEs tO deVeLop new linEs of planTs ThAt ExHibIt resIStance (toLeRanCe) To tHese tYPes of sTressEs arE rElATivEly slow ANd REQuirE sPeCifiC reSiStant LineS For CrossinG with the dEsiREd liNe. liMited geRmplasm resourCeS for stress ToLerAnce anD INcompatiBility in crosses between dIStantly RelAted pLant Species rePreSent siGniFIcant pRoblemS encoUnTerED In conVENtIonAl Breeding. AdDITioNally, ThE celLular prOcesses leading to drOUghT, cold, and salt tOleRancE IN mOdeL DrOUghT- aND/or SALt-tolerant plantS are compleX iN NaTure and invOLve MuLtiple mEchanisMs of cELlular aDaptation And numeroUs MetaBOLic Pathways. ThIs multi-cOmponent nATure oF StRess tOleRance hAs Not Only mAde breEDinG for tOleranCe LargelY unsuCcEssful, buT has also limited the abiliTy to geNeticAllY engineer StrESs tOlerance pLantS using biotEchNolOgicaL meTHods.
DRougHT aNd cOLd strEsseS, As well as sALt StrESSeS, have a commoN THEme ImporTanT For plaNt grOwth, and that is wateR Availability. PlAnts ARE exPosED durInG their entire liFe cYcLE To conditIoNs of reduced EnvironmEnTAl watEr contEnt, and Most plaNTS hAVe evolVed sTraTegies to pRotEcT ThemselVeS aGAinst tHese CoNditioNs of deSIccaTIOn. However, if the seVeritY ANd durATioN of thE dRought cONditIons are too Great, the effEcts on PlanT deveLopment, GrOwth anD yiElD of most croP Plants are ProfoUnd. FurtHeRmorE, moSt of thE croP PLants Are vErY suSceptible TO HiGHeR sALt cOnceNtratIoNs in The soil. BeCAuse high SalT Content In SomE SOils reSUlTS In less wateR
 polypeptides that are ass ociated wi th ab iot icst ress  res ponses and abi o ticstress tolerance in pl ants.  I n  par t ic ular,  this i n ve n t ion  r el ate st onucle icacid se quences en cod in g polypeptid e sthat confe r d rought, cold , a nd/orsa ltt olera nce  to p lants. 2. Bac kground A rt Abioti c  enviro n m en talstresses, such as dr o ught stress, s alinit ys tr e s s,hea t stress,an d col d  stress ,  a r e maj o r limiting fa ctors of pl a ntgrowth  a ndp roduct ivity .C rop  losses and  cro p yield l osseso f major crops s uch as  so ybe an,r ic e,  ma iz e  (c o rn ),c ott on, andwh ea t cau sedb y t hese  st ress es re present a sig nif ican t  ec onomi c and  pol it icalfactor  andco ntribute to foo d sh ortages i n m an y u nd erdev e lopedcou ntr ies.
Pl ants ar e  ty pi c a l ly  exposed during th ei r li fe cycle  to co n di ti o ns of re du ced  env i r onmen talw at er conte nt. Mo s tpl ants ha ve  evolv ed  st rat egies to p rotect  themsel ves a g ainst these co n ditions of de s ic c a ti o n. H owe ver, if the  sev e rity  and du rat i on of  thedr o ug h t conditions are to ogreat,  theeffects on de velopment, g r owth, an d yi e ld of most crop p lants  are profo u nd. Cont inuou s exposu re to dro u g ht condi tio nscau ses m aj or alteration s in t he  plantmet abolism  wh ich  ul tim at ely leadto cellde at han d c onseq u ently yi el d l os ses .
Dev e loping  stre ss-t ol er a ntplantsi sa stra te gy  tha t h as  thepote n tia l to so lve or me dia t e at  l ea st some  of these pro bl ems. Howev er , t raditi o n al plant  breeding strategies to develop  ne w lin es o f plantstha t exhi bit resist ance ( toler an ce) t o the s e  t ype sof stresse s are  rela ti vely  slow a nd require specifi c  re sistant lines  fo r cr o s si ngw it h  th ed esi r e d line. Limited  germplasm  r e so urces fors tre ss  tolera nce and  inco m patibil ity in cr osses bet we en d i s tan tly relate d plantspecies r e prese n tsigni fic ant pr ob lem s enc ounter e d i n con ventio na l bree ding.  A dditiona lly, the cellular proce sses l eadin g t o drought , c o ld,  and salt  tol erance inmod eldroug ht- and/o r sa l t- tol e rantplan t s are com p le x i n na ture and in v o l vemulti ple mechan isms  of cellular adap t ation and nume rous m eta bol i c pa th ways. This mul ti- co m p onent na tu re of stres s tolera nc e  hasnot on ly mad e breed i n gf or tol eran celargely u nsu cc e ssful,bu th as als o li mi ted th e abil i ty t o genetically engi neers t resst ole rance  p lants u s ingbiotechnol ogical meth ods.
D roug ht an d coldst resses , a swell as sa l t stresse s, ha ve a co mm on t hem e impo rtan t for p lant  g row th, and t h a ti swa t eravai labil it y. P lants are exposeddur i ng thei rent i r e life cy c l e to condi tio ns of r educed env i ronm e nt a l wat er con tent,and mos t  pl an ts have  ev o l ved strat egies top rot ec t th emselves  a gain st  th es e conditions of  desicca tion. Ho w e ver, i f t h e se v erityan d duration o f the  d r ought c o n dit ions ar e  to o g rea t, t heeffe c ts on plant development,  gro wth a n d y ieldof mo st  crop pl a ntsare prof o und. Furtherm ore, most of th e  cr o p pl ant s  a re  very sus cep t ibleto h igh er s alt  con c e ntra t ions in  the  soil.  Bec au se  high sal tcontent in s o mesoil s res ul ts in  less w ater
 polypeptides_that are_associated with abiotic stress_responses and_abiotic_stress tolerance_in_plants. In particular,_this invention relates_to nucleic acid sequences_encoding polypeptides that_confer_drought, cold, and/or salt tolerance to plants.
2. Background Art
Abiotic environmental stresses, such as drought_stress,_salinity stress,_heat_stress,_and cold stress, are major_limiting factors of plant growth_and productivity._Crop losses and crop yield losses of major_crops_such as soybean,_rice, maize (corn), cotton, and wheat caused by these_stresses represent a significant economic and_political factor and_contribute_to_food shortages in many_underdeveloped countries.
Plants are typically exposed during_their life cycle to conditions of_reduced environmental water content. Most plants have_evolved strategies to protect themselves against_these conditions of desiccation. However,_if the_severity and duration of the_drought conditions are_too great,_the effects on_development, growth, and yield of most_crop plants are_profound. Continuous exposure to drought conditions_causes_major alterations in_the_plant_metabolism which_ultimately lead to_cell_death and_consequently_yield losses.
Developing stress-tolerant plants is a_strategy_that has the potential to solve or_mediate at least some_of_these problems. However, traditional_plant breeding strategies to develop_new lines of plants that exhibit_resistance (tolerance)_to these_types of stresses are relatively slow and require specific resistant lines_for crossing with the desired line._Limited germplasm resources for_stress tolerance_and_incompatibility in crosses_between_distantly related_plant species represent significant problems encountered in_conventional breeding._Additionally, the cellular processes leading to_drought, cold, and salt_tolerance_in model drought- and/or salt-tolerant plants_are complex in nature and involve_multiple mechanisms of cellular adaptation_and_numerous_metabolic pathways. This multi-component nature_of stress tolerance has not only_made breeding for_tolerance largely unsuccessful, but has also limited_the_ability to genetically engineer stress tolerance_plants_using biotechnological methods.
Drought and cold stresses,_as_well_as salt stresses, have a_common theme important for plant growth,_and that is water availability. Plants are exposed during_their entire life_cycle to conditions of reduced_environmental_water_content, and most plants have evolved strategies to protect themselves_against these_conditions of desiccation._However, if the severity and duration of the drought conditions_are too great, the effects on plant_development, growth and yield of most crop plants are profound. Furthermore,_most of the crop plants are very susceptible_to higher salt concentrations in the soil._Because high salt content_in_some soils results in less water