Plant drought stress significantly impacts crop productivity, with drought-induced yield losses often exceeding those from other factors. Drought stress reduces leaf size, stem elongation, and root development, disrupts water relations, and lowers water-use efficiency. Plants respond to drought through various physiological and biochemical mechanisms, including stomatal closure, membrane protection, and enzyme activity regulation. Key responses include reduced CO₂ assimilation, increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, and oxidative stress. Drought tolerance is influenced by factors such as potassium ions, silicon, and osmolytes like glycinebetaine and proline. Hormones like abscisic acid and polyamines help modulate plant responses. Molecular mechanisms include drought-responsive genes and transcription factors. Management strategies include breeding, marker-assisted selection, and exogenous application of osmoprotectants. Drought stress affects photosynthesis, nutrient uptake, and assimilate partitioning, leading to reduced growth and yield. Drought resistance mechanisms include morphological adaptations like deep roots, waxy leaves, and phenotypic flexibility. These strategies help plants survive under water-limited conditions, improving their ability to maintain growth and yield. Overall, drought stress is a complex phenomenon requiring integrated approaches to enhance crop resilience.Plant drought stress significantly impacts crop productivity, with drought-induced yield losses often exceeding those from other factors. Drought stress reduces leaf size, stem elongation, and root development, disrupts water relations, and lowers water-use efficiency. Plants respond to drought through various physiological and biochemical mechanisms, including stomatal closure, membrane protection, and enzyme activity regulation. Key responses include reduced CO₂ assimilation, increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, and oxidative stress. Drought tolerance is influenced by factors such as potassium ions, silicon, and osmolytes like glycinebetaine and proline. Hormones like abscisic acid and polyamines help modulate plant responses. Molecular mechanisms include drought-responsive genes and transcription factors. Management strategies include breeding, marker-assisted selection, and exogenous application of osmoprotectants. Drought stress affects photosynthesis, nutrient uptake, and assimilate partitioning, leading to reduced growth and yield. Drought resistance mechanisms include morphological adaptations like deep roots, waxy leaves, and phenotypic flexibility. These strategies help plants survive under water-limited conditions, improving their ability to maintain growth and yield. Overall, drought stress is a complex phenomenon requiring integrated approaches to enhance crop resilience.