Harnessing autophagy: Fine tuning plant programmed cell death for enhanced crop resilience and yield

Autophagy is a highly conserved intracellular degradation pathway in eukaryotes, is crucial for maintaining cellular homeostasis, mediating stress responses, and regulating programmed cell death (PCD). Recent research has revealed its dual role in plant biology, where it can promote cell survival or execute cell death during development and in response to biotic and abiotic stresses. We systematically review the regulatory mechanisms of autophagy in plant PCD, emphasizing its functional diversity and molecular underpinnings in developmental processes, pathogen infections, and environmental stress responses. By synthesizing these mechanistic insights, we propose a conceptual framework of “context-dependent molecular switches” that govern autophagy’s life-or-death decisions in plants. Furthermore, we explore the potential applications of modulating autophagy pathways for crop improvement, providing a theoretical foundation for breeding stress resistant and high yield varieties.