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Abiotic stress factors in soils, such as heavy metal contamination, nutrient imbalances, salinity, and drought, severely impact plant growth, yield, and the sustainability of agricultural and environmental systems. This review presents a comprehensive analysis of existing literature using a data-driven bibliometric analysis of 3994 studies, examining how plants respond to these stressors and the effectiveness of various mitigation strategies. Key findings show that plants activate antioxidant defenses (e.g. catalase, peroxidase) to mitigate oxidative stress and utilise stress hormones and root adaptations to endure drought and salinity. Heavy metal stress disrupts essential metabolic processes, while nutrient imbalances are exacerbated by salinity and water scarcity. Mitigation strategies range from stress-resistant crop breeding, use of halophytes for metal remediation, application of beneficial rhizosphere microorganisms, engineered nanoparticles (ZnO, TiO2, FeO, etc.), and carbon-based materials like biochar and compost. These strategies have broad ecological implications, restore ecosystem functions, improve biodiversity, and enhance ecosystem resilience against climate-related challenges. This review underscores the need for integrated approaches combining biological, genetic, and technological innovations to strengthen plant resilience against abiotic stresses while supporting ecological balance and sustainability. Future research should focus on scalable, cost-effective solutions that improve plant stress tolerance, ecosystem restoration, and productivity in diverse environmental conditions.
Rahim et al. (Tue,) studied this question.