How plants respond to droughtDrought stress, characterized by insufficient water availability, poses a significant environmental challenge with profound implications for plant growth, development, and productivity (Anjum et al. 2011; Showler 2013). Prolonged or severe drought stress can result in detrimental effects, including wilting, stunted growth, leaf abscission, and the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), ultimately leading the death of the plant and to reduced crop yield (Kumaraswamy and Shetty 2016; Liliane and Charles 2020). In response to water scarcity, plants undergo a series of intricate physiological, biochemical, and molecular changes (Anjum et al. 2011;. Drought stress triggers a diverse array of adaptive mechanisms aimed at minimizing water loss, optimizing water use efficiency, and maintaining cellular homeostasis. At the cellular and molecular levels, plants engage a complex network of signaling pathways and gene expression to regulate water transport, osmotic adjustment, antioxidant defense, and the synthesis of protective compounds (