Hormonal and transcriptomic reprogramming underlie responses to recurrent drought in the halophyte Atriplex halimus L.

Recurrent drought induces a progressive shift from stress response to resource conservation in Atriplex halimus, with D3 showing metabolic downregulation and resource-saving signatures.

• Why it matters: Understanding how plants adapt to repeated drought is vital for predicting their survival under climate change, especially for species in unpredictable environments like halophytes.
• What they did: The study analyzed physiological, biochemical, and transcriptomic responses of Atriplex halimus across one to three drought cycles, measuring water relations, hormone levels, enzyme activity, and gene expression.
• The result: Findings reveal a transition from initial stress signaling to a primed and then conservative state, enabling the plant to balance stress tolerance with resource economy, enhancing its ecological resilience.