Nitrogen Management in Crop–Soil–Environment Systems: Pathways Toward Sustainable and Climate-Resilient Agriculture

Abstract

Abiotic stresses including drought, salinity, heat, cold, and heavy metal toxicity severely constrain plant productivity worldwide. Nitrogen (N), beyond its fundamental nutritional role, has emerged as a central regulator of plant stress responses through its involvement in metabolic reprogramming, osmotic adjustment, antioxidant defense, and hormonal signaling. This review synthesizes current advances in understanding how nitrogen availability and form influence plant tolerance to major abiotic stresses. Particular emphasis is placed on nitrogen-mediated modulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging systems, nitrogen-carbon metabolic coordination, phytohormonal crosstalk, osmoprotectant biosynthesis, and regulation of stress-responsive gene expression. Recent molecular insights highlight the role of nitrogen transporters, nitrate signaling pathways, and nitrogen-use efficiency in stress adaptation mechanisms. Furthermore, agronomic and biotechnological strategies aimed at optimizing nitrogen management to enhance stress resilience are discussed, including precision fertilization, integrated nutrient management, and genetic approaches targeting nitrogen-responsive regulatory networks. By integrating physiological, biochemical, and molecular perspectives, this review provides a comprehensive framework for understanding nitrogen-driven mitigation strategies under abiotic stress conditions and outlines future research directions for sustainable crop production in changing environments.