Engineering Climate-Resilient Horticultural Crops: Advances in Transcriptional Regulation, Genome Editing, and Synthetic Networks

Abstract Abiotic stresses-particularly cold, drought, and salinity-pose significant threats to the productivity and sustainability of horticultural crops. Recent studies have revealed conserved and species-specific regulatory mechanisms that allow plants to adapt dynamically to these environmental constraints. This review synthesizes advances in understanding key transcription factor (TF) families - such as CBF/DREB, NAC, MYB, WRKY, and bHLH - that orchestrate stress-responsive gene networks and modulate physiological processes including osmotic regulation, antioxidant defense, and ionic homeostasis. We also discuss the emerging roles of chromatin remodeling, DNA methylation, histone modifications, and non-coding RNAs in conferring transcriptional plasticity and stress memory. Beyond endogenous pathways, we evaluate transgenic strategies, CRISPR/Cas-based genome editing, and synthetic gene circuits for engineering abiotic stress tolerance. Particular attention is given to trade-offs between growth and defense, challenges in horticultural crop transformation, and gaps in field translation. We further examine the regulatory role of secondary metabolites - such as flavonoids and salicylic acid (SA)-as biochemical interfaces between signal transduction and adaptive responses. Finally, we propose a forward-looking roadmap integrating multi-omics, ideotype design, and precision breeding toward climate-resilient horticultural systems.