Agricultural Abiotic Stresses in the Tropical and Subtropical Agroecosystem

Abiotic stressors profoundly impact plant growth, survival, and productivity, posing a significant threat to global food supply chains and nutritional security. In response to these challenges, pivotal strategies for fostering sustainable agriculture have emerged, including the utilization of climate-smart crops, diverse osmolytes, seed priming techniques, and microorganisms. Osmolyte overproduction is crucial in enabling plant cells to maintain cellular homeostasis, facilitate osmotic adjustment, enhance water absorption, and orchestrate redox harmony—essential processes for cellular repair and the mitigation of oxidative injury. The priming of seeds stands out as an innovative approach, allowing them to shield against oxidative stress and retain a memory of past challenges. This is achieved through the early activation of cellular defense mechanisms, a shortened imbibition period, increased germination promoter activity, and precise control of osmotic pressure. Notably, the well-established correlation between abiotic stress tolerance and interventions such as seed priming, osmolyte accumulation, and the application of microorganisms has been demonstrated through extensive studies in recent decades. However, many aspects of these interventions’ mechanisms remain unclear, including the significance and relative contributions of different osmolytes to a specific species’ stress resilience. A comprehensive understanding of how plants perceive environmental cues and translate them into adaptive responses is imperative for advancing crop improvement projects to develop stress-tolerant cultivars. Therefore, increased investment in research exploring how plants naturally respond to abiotic challenges in their native environments is warranted. Furthermore, a nuanced comprehension of the physio-biochemical and cellular processes through which microorganisms respond to diverse abiotic stimuli is crucial. This chapter underscores the drawbacks of abiotic pressures on plants within an evolving climate and emphasizes adaptation strategies to mitigate adverse effects, thereby conferring plant tolerance to abiotic stress. The synthesis of challenges and opportunities presented here provides a roadmap for future research endeavors and agricultural innovations in changing environmental conditions.