Multiomics Insights in Research of Nitric Oxide (NO) Donors in Plants upon Stress

It is known that the progressive climate changes and environmental pollution prevalent all over the world lead to increasingly frequent and prolonged episodes of stress, and it challenges plants to adapt to changing adverse conditions. Given the significant crop losses caused by challenging environments, protecting plants from the destructive effects of these factors has become one of the most pressing challenges in modern agricultural biology and plant physiology. One of the approaches to protect plants from stressors in modern agrobiotechnology is the use of nitric oxide (NO) donors, which are chemicals that can release NO in plant cells and stimulate their germination, growth, biomass accumulation, and protection against external factors. Studying their mechanism of action at the molecular level is essential for understanding the targets of NO action, as well as for developing new phytoeffectors. A multiomics approach, along with physiological data, is often the method of choice. In this review, we compare widely used NO donors (e.g., sodium nitroprusside, S-nitrosoglutathione, NONOates) in terms of chemical properties, NO-release kinetics, stability, and suitability for different application methods (seed treatment, foliar spray, root application). Finally, we highlight recent advances from proteomics, metabolomics, and transcriptomics that have enabled system-wide identification of NO-responsive pathways and candidate targets. By integrating physiological, biochemical, and multiomics data, this review provides a framework for understanding NO-mediated stress tolerance and for the rational design of new NO-based phytoeffectors.