Drought Stress in Lentil (Lens culinaris, Medik) and Approaches for Its Management

Lentil plays an important role for food and nutritional security. It is a sustainable source of protein, zinc, iron, prebiotic carbohydrates, diverse health-promoting nutrients. This crop widely cultivated in semi-arid marginal areas exposed to various environmental stressors. Drought stress the major abiotic that causes serious effects on lentil growth development. Thus, it imperative set up innovative solutions reduce adverse drought crop. In this review, agro-morphological, physiological, biochemical were highlighted. Furthermore, breeding agronomic interventions improve performance drought-prone environments also discussed. Overall, disturbs germination, photosynthesis, water relations, shoot root growth, thereby reducing final yield. Conventional programs have identified several sources tolerance; however, modern biotechnological tools could be adopted decipher genetic architecture tolerance accelerate progress. Cost-affordable eco-friendly practices may contribute minimize negative consequences stress. Smart exploitation approaches help overcome drought, productivity, increase profitability farmers dry areas.