Physiological and Molecular Mechanisms of Tree Responses to Combined Drought and Low-Nitrogen Stress: A Review
- 1State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China
- 2School of Forestry, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China
Abstract
Drought and low nitrogen often co-occur in forests, yet their combined effects cannot be inferred reliably from single-stress studies. This review synthesizes physiological and molecular evidence for tree responses to combined drought and low nitrogen at four levels, namely stress perception, signal transduction, metabolic reprogramming, and adaptive phenotypes. It compares single-stress baselines and evaluates reported interactions in photosynthesis, water-use efficiency, root traits, and carbon–nitrogen allocation. The review distinguishes direct tree evidence from mechanistic context derived from crops and model plants. Abscisic acid–nitrogen signaling crosstalk is considered alongside reactive oxygen species, energy, hydraulics, and transcriptional regulation as candidate integration routes. Candidate genes are classified by species context and experimental evidence; responsiveness to the two single stresses is not interpreted as proof of a combined-stress function. The review also assesses the opportunities and current limitations of multi-omics and genome editing for trees. It identifies priorities for factorial experiments, multi-year validation, and molecular breeding for climate-resilient forestry.
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BibTeX
@article{xu2026physiological,
title = {{Physiological and Molecular Mechanisms of Tree Responses to Combined Drought and Low-Nitrogen Stress: A Review}},
author = {Yang Xu and Zhao Yang and Lijing Yu and Xia Wang and Chenghao Li and Ming Wei},
journal = {International Journal of Molecular Sciences},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3390/ijms27198853},
url = {https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/27/19/8853},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Physiological and Molecular Mechanisms of Tree Responses to Combined Drought and Low-Nitrogen Stress: A Review
AU - Yang Xu
AU - Zhao Yang
AU - Lijing Yu
AU - Xia Wang
AU - Chenghao Li
AU - Ming Wei
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/04
JO - International Journal of Molecular Sciences
DO - 10.3390/ijms27198853
UR - https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/27/19/8853
AB - Drought and low nitrogen often co-occur in forests, yet their combined effects cannot be inferred reliably from single-stress studies. This review synthesizes physiological and molecular evidence for tree responses to combined drought and low nitrogen at four levels, namely stress perception, signal transduction, metabolic reprogramming, and adaptive phenotypes. It compares single-stress baselines and evaluates reported interactions in photosynthesis, water-use efficiency, root traits, and carbon–nitrogen allocation. The review distinguishes direct tree evidence from mechanistic context derived from crops and model plants. Abscisic acid–nitrogen signaling crosstalk is considered alongside reactive oxygen species, energy, hydraulics, and transcriptional regulation as candidate integration routes. Candidate genes are classified by species context and experimental evidence; responsiveness to the two single stresses is not interpreted as proof of a combined-stress function. The review also assesses the opportunities and current limitations of multi-omics and genome editing for trees. It identifies priorities for factorial experiments, multi-year validation, and molecular breeding for climate-resilient forestry.
SN - 1422-0067
ER -