Trace Element-Mediated Enhancement of Abiotic Stress Resilience in Crops

Climate change and environmental degradation are intensifying abiotic stresses such as drought, salinity, extreme temperatures, heavy metal toxicity, and flooding, which collectively threaten global food security by reducing crop yields and quality. Traditional breeding and genetic engineering approaches have made significant contributions, yet they often face limitations in scalability, regulatory hurdles, and time requirements. In this context, trace elements including selenium (Se), zinc (Zn), silicon (Si), iron (Fe), copper (Cu), and manganese (Mn) have emerged as powerful, cost-effective tools for enhancing plant resilience. These micronutrients play multifaceted roles in plant physiology, acting not only as enzymatic cofactors but also as signaling molecules that modulate antioxidant defense systems, osmotic adjustment, membrane stability, and hormone homeostasis.Recent advances in nano-fertilizer technology, precision agriculture, and biostimulant formulations have further amplified the potential of trace element applications. When supplied at optimal concentrations, trace elements can prime plants against multiple stresses simultaneously, improving nutrient use efficiency and promoting sustainable intensification of agriculture. This Research Topic aims to spotlight these promising strategies at a critical time when growers, policymakers, and scientists are urgently seeking nature-based, rapidly deployable solutions to safeguard crop production under increasingly unpredictable climatic conditions.The primary goal of this Research Topic is to consolidate cutting-edge knowledge on how trace elements enhance abiotic stress tolerance in major and minor crops. By bringing together interdisciplinary contributions from agronomy and soil science to molecular biology, physiology, and omics technologies, we seek to advance both fundamental understanding and practical applications. Ultimately, this collection aims to accelerate the development of innovative, field-ready interventions (including conventional, nano-enabled, and biofortified approaches) that strengthen crop resilience while minimizing environmental footprints. We particularly encourage research that bridges lab-to-field gaps and demonstrates translational potential for real-world farming systems in both developed and developing regions.This Research Topic welcomes original research articles, reviews, perspectives, and methods papers addressing trace element (Se, Zn, Si, Fe, Cu, Mn) -mediated stress resilience. Key themes include, but are not limited to:• Mechanisms of uptake, transport, and homeostasis under abiotic stress.• Physiological, biochemical, hormonal, and phenotypic responses under stress conditions.• Nano-enabled delivery systems for enhanced efficacy and reduced toxicity.• Multi-omics (genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics) insights into trace element-responsive signaling pathways.• Interactions with beneficial microbes (e.g., rhizosphere engineering).• Field trials, sustainable application strategies, and impact on yield, quality, and nutritional value.• Crop-specific responses in cereals, legumes, vegetables, fruits, and orphan crops.• Nutrient management strategies for climate resilience.Contributions exploring synergistic effects between micronutrients and other biostimulants, breeding programs, or digital agriculture tools are highly encouraged. We equally welcome manuscripts centred on rigorous physiological, biochemical, and phenotypic analyses, whether or not they extend to molecular characterisation. Studies on both model and economically important crops from diverse agroecological zones are welcome. We aim to create a comprehensive, high-impact collection that serves as a key reference for researchers, extension specialists, and industry stakeholders working toward resilient and sustainable crop production. Topic editors: Nevien Elhawat, Lam-Son Phan Tran, MOSTAFA ABDELWAHED ABDELRAHMAN Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/84242/trace-element-mediated-enhancement-of-abiotic-stress-resilience-in-crops