How plants adapt to combined and sequential abiotic stresses: A transcriptomics approach

In nature, plants are exposed to a variety of stresses to which they must adapt to survive. With the changing climate, the stress experienced by plants is likely to be exacerbated. In recent years, we have observed an increased number of extreme weather events, such as flooding, heat waves, or drought. Moreover, these stresses rarely occur in isolation, they often appear simultaneously or sequentially. For example, high temperatures can lead to drought, or a period of flooding may be followed by an extended drought. Even when stress levels are low, combined or sequential sub-lethal stresses can significantly impair plant health, reducing vegetative and reproductive growth (Balfagn et al., 2019). Therefore, it is essential to understand how plants respond to combined or sequential sub-lethal stresses to improve their resilience and performance in a changing climate.