Cadmium (Cd), a pervasive and highly phytotoxic metal pollutant, poses severe threats to agricultural productivity, ecosystem stability, and human health through its entry into the food chain. Plants have evolved intricate defense mechanisms, among which the strategic manipulation of nutrient elements emerges as a critical physiological and biochemical strategy for mitigating Cd stress. This comprehensive review delves deeply into the multifaceted roles of essential macronutrient elements (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, sulfur), essential micronutrient elements (zinc, iron, manganese, copper) and non-essential beneficial elements (silicon, selenium) in modulating plant responses to Cd toxicity. We meticulously dissect the physiological, biochemical, and molecular underpinnings of how these nutrients influence Cd bioavailability in the rhizosphere, Cd uptake and translocation pathways, sequestration and compartmentalization within plant tissues, and the activation of antioxidant defense systems. Nutrient elements exert their influence through diverse mechanisms: competing with Cd for root uptake transporters, promoting the synthesis of complexes that reduce Cd mobility, stabilizing cell walls and plasma membranes to restrict apoplastic flow and symplastic influx, modulating redox homeostasis by enhancing antioxidant enzyme activities and non-enzymatic antioxidant pools, regulating signal transduction pathways, and influencing gene expression profiles related to metal transport, chelation, and detoxification. The complex interactions between nutrients themselves further shape the plant’s capacity to withstand Cd stress. Recent advances elucidating nutrient-mediated epigenetic regulation, microRNA involvement, and the role of nutrient-sensing signaling hubs in Cd responses are critically evaluated. Furthermore, we synthesize the practical implications of nutrient management strategies, including optimized fertilization regimes, selection of nutrient-efficient genotypes, and utilization of nutrient-enriched amendments, for enhancing phytoremediation efficiency and developing low-Cd-accumulating crops, thereby contributing to safer food production and environmental restoration in Cd-contaminated soils. The intricate interplay between plant nutritional status and Cd stress resilience underscores the necessity for a holistic, nutrient-centric approach in managing Cd toxicity in agroecosystems.

Drought represents a paramount constraint on global agricultural productivity, imposing severe limitations on crop yield and quality across diverse agroecosystems. Nitrogen (N), functioning as an indispensable macronutrient fundamental to plant architecture, metabolism, and stress acclimatization, exerts a pivotal influence in modulating plant resilience to water deficit. Substantial evidence accumulated in recent years underscores that optimal N nutrition significantly enhances plant adaptive capacity under drought by improving intrinsic water use efficiency (WUEi), optimizing photosynthetic performance, augmenting antioxidant defense systems, promoting advantageous root architectural modifications, and stabilizing biological N fixation (BNF) symbioses. This comprehensive review synthesizes current knowledge on the intricate physiological and molecular mechanisms underpinning N-mediated drought mitigation. We meticulously examine regulatory roles of N in water relations and hydraulic conductivity, photosynthetic apparatus protection and carbon assimilation efficiency, N metabolic flux and assimilation homeostasis, reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging and osmotic adjustment, root system development and resource foraging strategies, BNF system robustness under water stress, and the complex signaling networks integrating N and drought responses. Furthermore, we critically evaluate existing research consensus, identify persisting controversies and knowledge gaps, and delineate future research trajectories and translational challenges. The overarching objective is to furnish a robust theoretical foundation for devising precision N management strategies and advancing the breeding of drought-resilient, nutrient-efficient crop cultivars suited to arid and semi-arid regions facing escalating climate variability.

Maize (Zea mays L.) is one of the most important staple food crops globally. One-third of global maize production is located in areas with high or extreme water scarcity and concurrently faces the challenge of low nitrogen use efficiency. Therefore, achieving synergistically high-efficiency water and nitrogen utilization in maize production is of great significance for agricultural sustainable development and global food security. In recent years, more articles have focused on the physiological mechanisms and management practices of efficient water and nitrogen utilization in maize. Unfortunately, there is a relative scarcity of research on the interactive effects between water and nitrogen on the development of young ears, which plays a crucial role in maize productivity. By compiling the most pertinent publications, this review endeavors to consolidate the existing knowledge on the interactive effects between water and nitrogen on maize production. Moreover, it advances potential physiological mechanisms and strategies for high-efficiency water and nitrogen utilization in terms of root system functioning, phytohormones, metabolism, and organ development. The changes in the availability of water and nitrogen have a significant impact on the development of young ears during the critical period, which in turn directly determines the grain number per ear and grain weight.