Abstract In worldwide, climate change poses an increasingly serious threat to horticultural production and postharvest management, with rising temperatures, shifting rainfall patterns, and more frequent droughts and floods increasingly affecting crop performance and quality. The review follows the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. A systematic search was conducted using Web of Science, Scopus, and other major databases. After screening, duplicate removal, and eligibility assessment, 140 studies were synthesized in this review. Horticultural crops particularly fruits, vegetables, and ornamentals are highly sensitive to these changes due to their perishability and narrow climatic tolerances. Induced abiotic stresses disrupt key physiological processes, fruit development, reduce yield, and increase the vulnerability to pests and diseases, while also compromise the nutritional value and market quality of produce. In addition to production-level impacts, climate change accelerates postharvest deterioration, shortens shelf life, and increases losses during storage, transport, and marketing. Beyond production losses, climate variability accelerates postharvest deterioration, shortens shelf life by increasing respiration, water loss, and microbial spoilage, leading to higher losses during storage, transport, and marketing. These impacts are especially severe in developing countries, where limited cold chain capacity and weak adaptive systems constrain resilience. These impacts pose serious threats to food security, livelihoods, and the global competitiveness of horticultural markets, particularly in developing nations where limited cold chain capacity and adaptive systems constrain resilience. This review synthesizes current evidence on the biophysical and socio-economic effects of climate change on horticultural systems, emphasizing its implications for food security, livelihoods, and market stability. It also highlights practical mitigation and adaptation strategies, including climate resilient varieties, improved agronomic and water management practices, efficient and energy smart postharvest technologies, and supportive policy measures. The review underscores the need for integrated, climate-smart approaches that strengthen institutional capacity, promote innovation, and enhance farmer awareness to sustain horticultural productivity and reduce postharvest losses under a changing climate.
Yeshiwas et al. (Fri,) studied this question.