Climate change threatens crops and agriculture worldwide, bringing uncertainty and demanding investigation into how plants might respond. One of the most important plant systems to study in this context is the cellular communication pathway, which is responsible for signaling potential threats and transporting important materials from cell to cell. In this study, we investigate how temperature stress and light affect callose deposition in the plasmodesmata of Arabidopsis thaliana (A. thaliana) seedlings. We hypothesized that heat shocks would increase callose deposition while differences in light would have no effect on callose deposition. We planted A. thaliana seedlings in solid media, left them to germinate in a growth room, and imaged them using a microscope under fluorescent light to illuminate callose depositions. We then counted and analyzed callose levels, with data supporting both our temperature and light hypotheses.

Climate change and a continuously growing population have increased demands on global food yields. However, meeting the planet’s hunger needs does not have to come at the price of depleting its natural resources. A possible sustainable solution to this issue is the perennialization of all staple grain crops. This review analyzes the successes, challenges, and applications of the perennialization of staple grain crops such as sorghum, corn, rice, and wheat.