Harnessing boron application for environmental stress alleviation in fruit crops: Enhancing horticultural sustainability in the view of climate change

To ensure food security and environmental preservation, sustainable horticultural methods are becoming more important as climate change presents unmatched challenges to agricultural systems globally. Climate change induced environmental stresses significantly affects the fruit crops, which are vital to global agriculture and human nutrition. In this regard, boron a vital micronutrient emerges as a potentially useful instrument for reducing environmental stress and boosting the resilience of fruit crops. This review paper, written in the context of horticulture sustainability and climate change adaptation, critically investigates the impact of boron application in damping environmental stress in fruit crops. We investigate the physiological processes by which boron affects how plants react to abiotic stresses like salinity, drought, and severe temperatures. Additionally, we evaluate how boron affects fruit quality features in the context of shifting environmental variables, such as yield, nutritional value, and postharvest characteristics. We also go over agronomic techniques and application strategies for maximizing boron usage in fruit crop production systems, taking into account both traditional and novel ways. In addition, an assessment is conducted on the ecological consequences and any hazards linked to the application of boron to guarantee sustainable management approaches. In summary, this research highlights the need to incorporate boron-based tactics into horticultural operations to improve fruit crop resilience to climate change, thus supporting global food security and agricultural sustainability.