Biotic stress dynamics in legumes under a changing climate
Keywords:
Legumes, Climate change, Biotic stress, Pest-pathogen dynamics, Stress crosstalkAbstract
Legumes are fundamental to sustainable agriculture and human nutrition, yet the effects of climate change and biotic stress increasingly threaten their productivity. This review briefly analyses how rising temperatures, elevated CO2, and altered rainfall patterns reshape the ecology and severity of pests, pathogens, nematodes, and parasitic weeds in legume systems. Details of the physiological and molecular crosstalk between abiotic and biotic stress responses, emphasising defence signalling pathways mediated by phytohormones, such as salicylic acid, jasmonic acid, and ethylene, were discussed. In response to these emerging challenges, the paper evaluates a suite of adaptive management strategies, including advanced genetic, climate-smart agronomic interventions, and AI-driven digital agriculture. By synthesising insights from advances in molecular biology, agronomy, digital innovation, and policy science, this review provides a comprehensive overview for developing climate-resilient legume production systems that can support global food security under escalating environmental variability.
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