The article reviews the hypothesis that osmolyte accumulation (OA) can enhance crop yield under drought conditions. OA is proposed to provide several benefits, including osmoprotection, turgor maintenance, and increased soil water uptake. However, field studies have shown inconsistent results, with few studies demonstrating a positive association between OA and crop yield. The few studies that reported positive associations were often conducted under severe water deficits where yields were already very low. The authors argue that the primary benefit of OA may be in maintaining root development to access deeper soil moisture, rather than directly increasing crop yield. They conclude that the hypothetical benefits of OA are more relevant to plant survival under extreme conditions and may not be beneficial for practical crop yield increases.The article reviews the hypothesis that osmolyte accumulation (OA) can enhance crop yield under drought conditions. OA is proposed to provide several benefits, including osmoprotection, turgor maintenance, and increased soil water uptake. However, field studies have shown inconsistent results, with few studies demonstrating a positive association between OA and crop yield. The few studies that reported positive associations were often conducted under severe water deficits where yields were already very low. The authors argue that the primary benefit of OA may be in maintaining root development to access deeper soil moisture, rather than directly increasing crop yield. They conclude that the hypothetical benefits of OA are more relevant to plant survival under extreme conditions and may not be beneficial for practical crop yield increases.