Abstract:This paper systematically summarizes the possible response processes of woody plants to drought stress from the perception of drought signals, signal transduction to transcriptional regulation, physiological and biochemical responses, and phenotypic changes, with the aim of gaining a deeper understanding of the molecular mechanisms of woody plants in response to drought stress. Woody plants are forced to evolve corresponding mechanisms to cope with the ever-changing environment due to their entrenched rhizosphere. When subjected to drought stress, the receptors on the cell membrane of the root system of woody plants first sense the changes in soil water status, and intracellular proteins and hormone regulatory systems in the cell trigger the corresponding drought adaptation responses. Drought signals are transmitted to various parts of the plant body through intercellular signaling pathways, and the main signaling pathways include Ca2+ signaling, hormone signaling, and transcription factor regulation. Some key genes and signaling pathways, such as the abscisic acid (ABA) signaling pathway and the DREB protein family, are also involved in the regulation of drought adaptation in plants. Woody plants also undergo morphological and anatomical changes to reduce water evaporation and enhance root water absorption capacity. This article can provide insights into the breeding of droughtresistant woody plants.