Response of Cultivated Industrial Crops to Abiotic Stresses Through Enhancement of Secondary Metabolites

Medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) hold a distinct place for various industries like cosmetic, pharmaceutical and food. Cultivation of MAPs become more important because of various bioactive compounds with cosmetic and therapeutic potential. The sessile nature of plants makes them more prone to environmental stresses, biotic as well as abiotic. This chapter mainly focuses on the abiotic stresses like salinity, draught, heavy metals, pH, temperature etc. It is no doubt that low doses of these stresses stimulate metabolic activities in plants, but higher doses negatively affect the overall plant performance. Recently nanoparticles are also being used as elicitors of industrially important secondary metabolites. These stresses affect morphology, biochemistry and physiology of the plants that are directly connected to the yield of the plant. Plants can adapt to a variety of stresses by deploying various cellular mechanisms and physiological modifications, knowing these responses can be beneficial for studies related to increased productivity and yield. By elucidating the complex interplay between abiotic stress and the biochemistry of medicinal and aromatic plants, this chapter provides valuable insights for researchers, agronomists, and practitioners involved in the cultivation and utilization of these plants. Ultimately, understanding how abiotic stress influences the therapeutic constituents of these botanicals contributes to the development of sustainable strategies for optimizing their medicinal and aromatic properties in the face of environmental challenges.