Drought stress effects on crop quality

Water is among the factors affecting plant growth and development. Despite the fact the negative influence of water stress on crop production is well documented, its effect on crop quality has been less investigated. Drought leads to the activation of plant defense systems with several physiological stress reactions resulting in a significant change in metabolite production, altering the nutritional and health values of the harvested products. The impact of drought on crop quality has been demonstrated for five classes of quality traits: carbohydrates, protein, lipids, and secondary metabolites. All these traits are significantly influenced by water stress determining both positive and negative alterations in chemical and organoleptic characteristics of the harvested crops. The chapter highlights the crop responses to water stress, or deficit irrigation strategies, clarifying the physiological mechanisms involved in the drought-induced modifications of crop chemical composition. This information could represent useful tools for both agronomists and crop breeders in order to develop strategies to obtain higher quality crops and adapted genotypes in water stress conditions, slightly affecting yield.