Drought and Waterlogging Stress Responses in Crops

Around 70% of the freshwater is used globally for agriculture. Due to worldwide agricultural expansion and climate change, water demand is rising day by day. Therefore, creating crop cultivars that require less water is necessary for achieving sustainable agricultural output. As the climate continues to change, extreme soil conditions and soil water availability, such as severe drought and waterlogging from high rains, are predicted to result. In the absence of novel resistance variations to these abiotic stressors, both waterlogging and drought are harmful to plant species and might pose a danger to global food security. Agricultural production is severely hampered by drought and waterlogging, both of which have become more frequent and severe over time as a result of climate change. Both waterlogging and drought stress may cause changes in a plant’s shape and photosynthetic activity, affecting leaf shape (such as crimping and wilting), antioxidant enzyme system, and hormone levels. In particular, microbes with the potential to promote plant development might be useful instruments to achieve the objective of sustainable agriculture. As a viable long-term solution, particular focus has been placed on the use of microorganisms in agriculture to boost production and tolerance to shocks. This chapter will concentrate on the effects of drought and waterlogging on physiology, plant responses to climatic changes, and molecular pathways. Further, the processes behind these alterations are described. Additionally, it will discuss the methods by which microorganisms that promote plant development might increase a plant’s ability to withstand drought and waterlogging stress.