Influence of abiotic stresses on disease infestation in plants

Abstract

Crop plants in natural environments can be exposed to biotic and abiotic stresses that occur simultaneously or sequentially throughout their plant developmental stages. Abiotic stress, such as heat, salinity, drought, waterlogging, and cold stress, can impact plant tolerance and disease infestation. The outcomes of abiotic stresses on disease virulence largely depend on host susceptibility, pathogen virulence, stress type, intensity, and exposure time. Healthy plants can suppress disease virulence, while susceptible plants intensify pathogen infestation under abiotic stress. This tripartite interaction between plants, pathogens, and the environment involves signaling responses that play a significant role in the evolution of adapted organisms (plant and/or pathogen) under unfavorable conditions. This review provides a conceptual framework for understanding the integrated signaling responses of plants against biotic and abiotic stresses, highlighting the relevance of disease infestation and plant tolerance with individual and combined abiotic stresses. Understanding the co-occurrence of these stresses can help predict the effects of weather uncertainty and pathogen behavior on traditional crops, informing multivariate strategies for agricultural planning and regional policy development.