Systematic Literature Review for Mechanisms and Costs of Plant Adaptation to Biotic and Abiotic Stresses

Plants are continuously exposed to abiotic and biotic stresses that threaten their growth, reproduction, and survival. Adaptation to these stresses requires complex regulatory networks that coordinate physiological, molecular, and ecological responses. However, such adaptation often incurs significant costs, including reduced growth, yield penalties, and altered ecological interactions. This review systematically synthesizes recent advances published between 2018 and 2025, following PRISMA criteria, on plant responses to abiotic and biotic stressors, with an emphasis on the trade-offs between adaptation and productivity. It also highlights major discrepancies in the literature and discusses strategies for enhancing plant stress tolerance in agriculture. By integrating findings from genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics, the review categorizes both mechanistic insights and ecological consequences. The findings underscore the need for multi-stress, systems-level, field-based research that connects molecular processes to ecological and agricultural outcomes. Accordingly, critical gaps are identified-particularly the scarcity of multi-stress and field-based studies-and future directions that integrate omics approaches, systems biology, and eco-physiological frameworks are proposed. Understanding the costs of adaptation is essential not only for breeding resilient, high-yielding crops but also for ensuring their successful incorporation into sustainable agricultural practices under changing climate conditions.

Journal

PHYTON-INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY

Year

2025

Volume

94

Issue

12

ISSN

0031-9457

eISSN

1851-5657

DOI

10.32604/phyton.2025.073163

WoS UID

WOS:001630790800001