A new mutant plant called abr is resistant to a plant hormone called ABA and can handle stressful conditions better. The abr mutant makes more red pigments (anthocyanins) when treated with ABA. These pigments help the plant deal with stress like lack of water or too much salt. The mutant also makes more antioxidants and stress-related proteins when treated with ABA. This shows that ABA helps the plant make these protective substances. The mutant plant is better at surviving stress because it makes more anthocyanins.