Advanced Stress Mitigation Techniques in Horticulture: Enhancing Crop Resilience to Biotic and Abiotic Challenges

The daunting challenges including escalating droughts, water scarcity, flooding, degraded soils, and extreme temperatures driven by climate change are faced by agricultural productivity. Unfortunately, most crops lack tolerance to these extreme climatic conditions. As we grapple with global hunger and a burgeoning population, the imperative is to develop crops that can withstand abiotic stress while maintaining high yields. Sustainable horticulture necessitates the adoption of innovative management practices to address the challenges posed by biotic and abiotic stressors while ensuring environmental stewardship and long-term productivity. This chapter provides an overview of cutting-edge strategies employed in sustainable horticultural systems to manage both biotic and abiotic stress factors. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) emerges as a cornerstone approach, integrating biological control, cultural practices, and judicious use of pesticides to mitigate pests and diseases while minimizing environmental impact. Current genomic tools are aiding in dissecting the polygenic traits, accelerating genetic introgression using molecular markers or precise gene editing. Precision agriculture technologies, including sensor networks and remote sensing, enable real-time monitoring of crop health and environmental conditions, facilitating timely interventions to address stress factors such as water scarcity and nutrient deficiencies. Furthermore, the incorporation of plant growth regulators and biological control agents offers effective alternatives to chemical pesticides, promoting ecosystem balance and reducing environmental risks. Crop rotation and polyculture strategies diversify agroecosystems, enhancing resilience to biotic stress while improving soil fertility and pest management. The integration of these innovative management practices represents a holistic approach toward achieving sustainable horticulture, balancing productivity goals with environmental conservation and resilience in the face of evolving challenges.