LAUSR

Abstract In the context of climate change, the combination of the drought, salinity, heat and high irradiance felt in many regions around the world will be intensified, further worsening the adverse effects on plant growth and development at different scales. This scenario will have severe repercussions on agricultural crops, compromising yields and harvest qualities. Kaolin (KL) clay has been recognized as a promising short-term strategy for the sustainable alleviation of adverse abiotic stress. However, some mechanisms that support KL-induced stress alleviation remain minimally discussed, and there is still no consensus on its effectiveness in different crops and under different stress prevalences and/or intensities. Based on most available reports, this review illustrates KL’s modes of action and critically appraises crop responses to KL application, namely, its influence on temperature, irradiation reflection, leaf structure, water status, photosynthetic capacity, biochemical responses, mineral composition, growth, yield and quality. Finally, this review briefly highlights some less explored aspects that merit attention.