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The global climate change scenario intensified various environmental factors, especially in arid and semi-arid regions. Drought is one of the most severe environmental stresses affecting plant productivity. Plants in the Mediterranean climate zone are exposed to heat and drought in summer, and these conditions have a significant effect on plant growth and development. However, in this case, the entry of CO2 into mesophyll cells is prevented and therefore the rate of photosynthesis decreases which ultimately causes a reduction in plant growth. In order to acclimate to stressful environmental conditions, plants exhibit several structural modifications to cope with these harmful conditions. This review highlights some aspects of anatomical adaptive changes in plants under drought stresssuch as a reduction in leaf size and angle, stomatal position, epidermal thickness and deposition of the cuticle to prevent the loss of water from the leaf surface. Furthermore, it elaborates the role of buliform cells in leaf rolling, structural adaptation in the mesophyll cells, and the presence of trichomes. Mesophyll cells and bulliform cells provide easier rolling of leaves in case of intense drought. In arid conditions, the economical use of water by plants is possible by closing the stomata and reducing transpiration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

World population is increasing at an alarming rate, and crop cultivation on marginal lands has emerged as an alternate option to feed the burgeoning population. However, marginal lands are characterized by poor soil health and other undesirable characteristics resulting in low crop production and less economic returns. Interest in the application of superabsorbent polymers (SAPs) for marginal lands has been increasing. The SAPs application increases the germination percentage, seedling growth, and grain yield of different crops. Being hydrophilic in nature, SAPs can absorb and retain a huge quantity of water, and thereby enhance the water use efficiency in crops. In addition, SAPs application also showed a positive influence on soil physico-chemical properties and enhanced the retention of water and nutrients. Marginal lands are frequently subjected to abiotic stresses such as drought, heavy metals, and salinity. The application of SAPs serves as a buffer against these abiotic stresses and reduces the risk of plant damage and hence crop failure. Over the past decade, focused efforts have been undertaken on SAPs application on arable lands, especially in arid regions. However, understanding about SAPs application on marginal lands is not well understood. The present review critically discusses the potential of SAPs application to enhance the productivity of marginal lands with a major focus on crop performance under different stresses. Current challenges hindering the wide application of SAPs are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]