Abstract
Global climate change poses a serious threat to agriculture, with heat and drought stress often occurring simultaneously and severely impacting crop productivity. As post-transcriptional regulators, microRNAs (miRNAs) mediate plant responses to these adverse conditions by targeting genes involved in antioxidant defense, growth, development, and hormonal signaling. However, research on miRNA roles under combined drought and heat stress is still limited compared to individual stress studies. Additionally, stress-, cultivar-, and tissue-specific expression patterns of miRNAs, along with discrepancies between controlled laboratory conditions and natural environments, complicate the development of broadly applicable miRNA-based strategies. This review explores recent advancements in understanding miRNA target genes and their functions, highlighting the need for innovative, sustainable solutions for crop improvement.