Abiotic stress–plant interactions: morphoanatomical features and physiological functions

Abstract

Abiotic stress, an environmental condition that inhibits plant development, has traditionally been the focus of scientists and agronomists due to the constantly rising human populations, threatening food security. The morphophysiological and anatomical traits of plants are adversely impacted by several abiotic factors such as salt, heavy metal stress, drought, flooding, and extreme temperatures, leading to substantial yield losses of food crops. Globally, up to 90% of arable land is susceptible to one or more of the stresses, resulting in yield losses of up to 70% in major cereal crops such as rice, wheat, and maize and is expected to be even serious due to climate change. Understanding the impact of abiotic stresses on the intricate relationships between abiotic stressors and plants, emphasizing the vital morphoanatomical traits and physiological processes, will be crucial for developing plants to endure and adjust to harsh environmental conditions. Here, valuable insights into various plant adaptation strategies, enabling the development of healthy agricultural systems under abiotic stress to fulfill human food demands, are discussed.