Exploring the role of caffeic acid in mitigating abiotic stresses in plants: A review

Caffeic acid (CA) is a phenolic compound, which has a multifaceted role in the response of plants to various abiotic stresses. Plants must adapt to external stimuli, prompting extensive research into phenolic and flavonoid compounds as potential mitigators of environmental stress impacts. Phenylpropanoids are emphasized for their importance in maintaining plant integrity under stress, while the significance of CA, a cinnamic acid, is interpreted as a key component involved in lignin synthesis and regulating physiological processes. CA deals with different kinds of stress, like salinity-induced stress, chilling stress, and especially drought-induced stress in plants. CA helps plants make certain chemicals called phenolics, which protect them from damage caused by oxidative stress. Researchers are investigating the possible ways that CA functions, including its roles in regulating signals, defending against antioxidants, and preserving the integrity of cells. There is a need to understand the response of CA to abiotic stress factors, which can provide information about its adaptive mechanisms and applications in agriculture. This review proposes genetic advances to increase crop tolerance and provides an overview of the complexities surrounding the role of CA in plant responses to various abiotic conditions. This highlights the need for further research to identify specific mechanisms and interactions with other compounds, as well as the importance of comparative analysis of CA responses in different plant species. It emphasized the importance of meeting the challenges of stress response research and encouraged collaborative efforts for sustainable agriculture and human well-being. This demonstrates CA's importance in enhancing stress resistance and provides a blueprint for future research directions, including the study of specific mechanisms, interactions between components, and applications in the development of stress-resistant products.