Phytohormones Crosstalk with Secondary Metabolites in the Drought StressTolerance of Crop Plants

Plants evolved different regulatory pathways to regulate downstream plant responses to drought stress. Phytohormone signaling networks play a crucial role in activating defense molecules' biosynthesis like secondary metabolites (SMs) under drought stress. This crosstalk between phytohormones and SMs minimizes oxidative stress, excessive water loss, and other adverse effects of drought in plants. Further, drought-induced SMs alarms plant tissue to conquer defensive drought stress mitigating processes via systemic induction of drought signaling.