Abstract
Water stress presents a critical challenge affecting plant growth and agricultural productivity, with drought alone causing substantial yield losses. Roots serve as the primary site for water uptake, enabling plants to detect water stress by sensing changes in soil moisture levels. This initial perception prompts roots to initiate a spectrum of adaptive responses at morphological, anatomical, and biochemical levels. In addition to coping with severe water stress conditions such as drought, roots also respond to microscale variations in water availability within the rhizosphere as they navigate through soil, exhibiting responses such as hydrotropism, xerobranching, and hydropatterning. These adaptive responses are orchestrated by dynamic and sophisticated sensing and signalling mechanisms mediated by plant hormones at the cellular level. This review explores recent advances in our understanding of root responses to water stress, emphasizing the hormonal mechanisms underpinning these adaptations. Furthermore, it outlines future perspectives aimed at enhancing crop resilience to water stress through improved understanding and manipulation of root-water interactions.