Dealing with multiple stresses in the fast-evolving genomics era in plant sciences: a current state of knowledge

Weather-related crop failures pose an immediate threat to livelihood systems reliant on agriculture, which are already susceptible to several pathogens. Numerous studies have examined the impact of single or individual stress on crops; however, in natural conditions, abiotic challenges tend to occur in combination rather than individually. Plant breeders and molecular biologists, in very few cases, address the simultaneous actions of multiple stressors while investigating plant adaptations. Physiological, metabolic, and molecular responses of crops to several multiple stress combinations seem to be different from their responses toward single stresses. Recent studies have shown that a plant’s response to multiple abiotic stresses at the same time is unique and can’t be directly concluded from a plant’s response to each of the stresses applied individually. Herein, we attempt to discuss the diverse responses of plants toward the combination of multiple stresses. This review also focuses on the current strategies to develop biotech crop varieties that will adapt to numerous environmental stresses simultaneously.