Nutrient transporters in plants under abiotic and biotic stresses: Current insights and future perspectives

Nutrient transporters are integral membrane proteins that regulate the uptake, translocation and redistribution of essential nutrients in plants. Under abiotic and biotic stresses, their activity plays a pivotal role in maintaining ionic homeostasis, osmotic balance and stress signalling. This review explores how nutrient transporters respond to environmental cues and mediate stress tolerance. For instance, potassium transporters mediate stomatal closure under drought, maintain Na+/K+ homeostasis under salinity and facilitate structural adaptations such as adventitious root and aerenchyma formation under flooding. Similarly, plasma membrane H+-ATPase maintains membrane integrity under heat stress, while metal transporters regulate the uptake and detoxification of heavy metals. In response to biotic stress, calcium and silicon transporters enhance structural defences and stimulate the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites. Collectively, these mechanisms underscore the central role of nutrient transporters in plants under stress and highlight their potential as targets for engineering crops with improved nutrient use efficiency and stress tolerance.