**3.5 Other abiotic stresses**

Excessive and pointless application of chemicals can lead to pollution of the environment and damages ecosystem health and diversity. Further, it induces climate

#### *DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.106045 Influence of Abiotic Stresses on Seed Production and Quality*

change which in turn, affects the crop growth, yield and quality. Use of excessive nutrients from inorganic sources also play similar impact on environment. These chemicals, fertilizers persist in nature and create toxic effects on crop plant. For instance, reliance on chemical based farming activities can degrade the soil health and reduces the soil productivity. Ground water, surface water contamination, air pollution etc. are now common phenomenon which aggravate climate change scenario. Plant previously suitable for a region is now therefore facing trouble under such changing climate. It induces various other abiotic stresses and biotic stresses to negatively impact on crop's germination, photosynthesis, translocation of assimilates etc. and thereby, hampers crop yield. On the other hand, scarce nutrients in the soil can lead to nutrient deficiency symptoms on plant through less uptake and thereby, affects plant growth, development, yield and quality as these nutrients are essential for the plant's nourishment.

High wind velocity leads to lodging situation in tall growing plant and thereby, affects their growth. It further creates soil erosion and thus impact negatively by washing away the nutrients essential for crop growth. Further, under high wind velocity, evapotranspiration loss of water is increased which creates scarcity of water for the plant growth.

Light plays an important role in photosynthesis. Exposure to less light can lead to less photosynthesis. On the other hand, excessive light can damage photosynthetic apparatus (photoinactivation and photodamage). Low light or shading affects the plant growth and development. High light intensity can lead to heat or drought stress like situation and thereby, affects the plant growth. UV ray damages DNA and causes leaf bleaching, oxidative stress by formation of ROS. Under high light, plant experiences breakdown of D1 protein of PS II and reduction of PS I polypeptides such as PsaA, PsaB and PsaC [23].
