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Agronomy
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Light and Temperature Signals for Regulating Growth and Development of...
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Light and Temperature Signals for Regulating Growth and Development of Crops

A special issue of Agronomy (ISSN 2073-4395). This special issue belongs to the section "Horticultural and Floricultural Crops".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 August 2020) | Viewed by 17274

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Naoya Fukuda

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8572, Japan
Interests: effects of light quality on plant growth; antioxidant metabolisms in plants grown under controlled environment; phytohormone and plant morphogenesis

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Environmental factors are crucial signals for regulating plant growth and development, such as flowering, fruits setting, shoot elongation, blanching, leaf extension, and so on. In particular, light and temperature could change the plant morphogenesis drastically, including floral initiation and plant shapes that are connected to crop production. At present, advanced environmental control technologies such as artificial lighting, heating, and cooling have been applied into crop production in a greenhouse. However, we should understand the mechanisms of plant responses against light and temperature environments deeply for efficient plant growth regulation. We would like you to share your recent findings of research on light and temperature signals for developing new technologies on crop production. Submissions on (but not limited to) the following topics are invited: (1) physiological mechanisms on plant morphogenesis and metabolism related to light and temperature environment; (2) plant growth responses for photoperiodic or thermoperiodic changes; (3) advanced technologies of cover materials, lighting, and air conditioning for regulating plant growth and morphogenesis; and (4) molecular signal transduction systems on light and temperature environments for morphogenesis, floral induction, and vernalization of plants.

Dr. Naoya Fukuda
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Agronomy is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Light quality and light intensity
  • Photoperiodic and thermoperiodic responses
  • Advanced artificial lighting and air conditioning technologies in greenhouse
  • Metabolism changes in plant body under different light and temperature environments
  • Photoreceptors and thermoreceptors
  • Advanced plant factory systems
  • Photoselective cover materials for plant growth regulation
  • Effects of lighting, heating and cooling at the end of day and night time
  • Molecular mechanisms on plant growth and morphogenesis changes for light and temperature environments

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

13 pages, 3930 KiB  
Article
Effect of Asynchronous Light and Temperature Fluctuations on Plant Traits in Indoor Growth Facilities
by Camilo Chiang, Daniel Bånkestad and Günter Hoch
Agronomy 2021, 11(4), 755; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11040755 - 13 Apr 2021
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2608
Abstract
Several studies have recommended the incorporation of environmental fluctuations in indoor experiments if closer-to-natural results in plant experiments are desired. Previous authors have suggested that if these fluctuations are not applied in synchrony, a stress effect could be present since plants have evolved [...] Read more.
Several studies have recommended the incorporation of environmental fluctuations in indoor experiments if closer-to-natural results in plant experiments are desired. Previous authors have suggested that if these fluctuations are not applied in synchrony, a stress effect could be present since plants have evolved to cope with synchronic environmental fluctuations. This study aimed to identify the effect of disparity in fluctuations of two important environmental variables, light quantity and temperature, on the growth of seven plant species from different functional plant types. A full-factorial combination of light and temperature under fixed or variable conditions was applied in phytotrons, and plant performance under these conditions was compared with a previous field trial. In all phytotron treatments, the average light and temperature conditions were the same as in the initial field trial. Productivity, leaf gas exchange, chlorophyll fluorescence, pigmentation, and other leaf traits were recorded in all species at the end of the experiments. Most plant trait responses were highly dependent on species and treatment, but some general trends were observed. Light fluctuations were mainly responsible for increases in specific leaf area (SLA) and chlorophyll a concentration, as well as for reductions in total dry weight and chlorophyll a/b ratio, independent if in combination with fluctuation or fixed temperatures. When fixed light conditions were combined with variable temperatures, the plants showed on average lower Fv/Fm values, Amax, and CO2 yield, while under variable light conditions and fixed temperatures, Fv/Fm increased compared with fully fixed or variable conditions. Although significant differences of plant traits between the field trial and all phytotron treatments were present (likely due to differences in other parameters that were not controlled in the phytotrons), our results still suggest that a synchronous variation of environmental factors lead to a more natural-like plant growth than if these factors are fixed or vary asynchronously. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Light and Temperature Signals for Regulating Growth and Development of Crops)
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16 pages, 932 KiB  
Article
The Expression of ELF4-Like Genes Is Influenced by Light Quality in Petunia
by Naoya Fukuda, Tomohiro Suenaga, Erika Miura, Atsuko Tsukamoto and Jorunn E. Olsen
Agronomy 2020, 10(11), 1800; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy10111800 - 16 Nov 2020
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2731
Abstract
The signals from photoreceptors modify plant morphogenesis and regulate the timing of flowering. In the long-day plant petunia, flowering is accelerated under blue (B) and white (W) light compared to red (R) light. In Arabidopsis thaliana L., ELF genes are involved in circadian [...] Read more.
The signals from photoreceptors modify plant morphogenesis and regulate the timing of flowering. In the long-day plant petunia, flowering is accelerated under blue (B) and white (W) light compared to red (R) light. In Arabidopsis thaliana L., ELF genes are involved in circadian clock-associated regulation of flowering under different light conditions. In this study, we aimed to assess the involvement of ELF genes in control of flowering by light quality in petunia. Two ELF4-like genes, PhELF4-1 and PhELF4-2 with 76% and 70% similarity to orthologues in pepper but low overall similarity to ELF genes in A. thaliana L., were characterized in petunia and their expression patterns studied under different light qualities. Both genes showed a rhythmic expression pattern and higher expression under B light from light emitting diodes (LED) and W light from fluorescent lamps than under R LED light from LED. For both genes, the expression peaked towards the end of the day, 12 h after start of a 14 h photoperiod. Compared with PhELF4-2, PhELF4-1 expression showed higher amplitude with significantly higher peak expression. As investigated for PhELF4-1, such an expression rhythm was kept for two days after transfer of the plants to continuous lighting using B LED, indicating a circadian rhythm. PhELF4-1 also responded with a phase shift after transfer to short days of an 8 h photoperiod. These results indicate that PhELF4-like genes in petunia are under photoperiodic control involving a circadian clock and play a role in signal transduction from one or more B light photoreceptors. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Light and Temperature Signals for Regulating Growth and Development of Crops)
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17 pages, 3766 KiB  
Article
From Embryo to Adult: Low Temperatures Affect Phase Transitions of Allium sativum L. from Germination to Flowering
by Tomer E. Ben Michael, Liraz Rozenblat, Adi Faigenboim, Einat Shemesh-Mayer, Itzhak Forer, Ross Peters, Joshua D. Klein, Haim D. Rabinowitch and Rina Kamenetsky Goldstein
Agronomy 2020, 10(11), 1651; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy10111651 - 26 Oct 2020
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2568
Abstract
Juvenile and vegetative adult shoot apical meristems (SAM) are actively involved in acquisition of flowering competence, while the embryonic SAM is regarded as “responsible” only for germination. Comparative analyses of imbibed and stratified seeds of garlic Allium sativum show that only stratified seedlings [...] Read more.
Juvenile and vegetative adult shoot apical meristems (SAM) are actively involved in acquisition of flowering competence, while the embryonic SAM is regarded as “responsible” only for germination. Comparative analyses of imbibed and stratified seeds of garlic Allium sativum show that only stratified seedlings produced bulbs and flower stems at the end of the season. Since the seed morphology of stratified and non-stratified seeds prior to sowing was similar, the differences are attributed to the molecular alterations in the embryonic SAM. Functional annotation analysis of 3000 differentially expressed genes suggests that seed imbibition reactivates the embryonic cell cycle, initiates the metabolism, and primes garlic seed germination. Stratification enhances DNA modifications, biosynthesis, cellular transport, and tissue development. Similar to vernalization of the vegetative buds, stratification of the embryonic SAM resulted in altered expression of meristem-identity and flowering homologs. Phase transitions from seed germination to flowering and bulbing in A. sativum are tightly connected, and possibly associated with downregulation of specific flowering repressor(s). The embryonic SAM plays an important role not only in seed germination, but in the entire plant life cycle, providing the foundation for the genetic regulation of major functional shifts in metabolism and development. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Light and Temperature Signals for Regulating Growth and Development of Crops)
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10 pages, 901 KiB  
Article
Subalpine Fir (Abies laciocarpa) and Norway Spruce (Picea abies) Seedlings Show Different Growth Responses to Blue Light
by Hazel Navidad, Inger Sundheim Fløistad, Jorunn E. Olsen and Sissel Torre
Agronomy 2020, 10(5), 712; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy10050712 - 15 May 2020
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3039
Abstract
Blue light (BL) affects different growth parameters, but information about the physiological effects of BL on conifer seedlings is limited. In northern areas, conifer seedlings are commonly produced in heated nursery greenhouses. Compared with Norway spruce, subalpine fir seedlings commonly show poor growth [...] Read more.
Blue light (BL) affects different growth parameters, but information about the physiological effects of BL on conifer seedlings is limited. In northern areas, conifer seedlings are commonly produced in heated nursery greenhouses. Compared with Norway spruce, subalpine fir seedlings commonly show poor growth in nurseries due to early growth cessation. This study aimed to examine the effect of the BL proportion on the growth and development of such conifer seedlings in growth chambers, using similar photosynthetic active radiation, with 5% or 30% BL (400–500 nm) from high pressure sodium (HPS) lamps (300 μmol m−2 s−1) or a combination of HPS (225 μmol m−2 s−1) and BL-emitting diodes (75 μmol m−2 s−1), respectively. Additional BL increased transpiration and improved the growth of the Norway spruce seedlings, which developed thicker stems, more branches, and a higher dry matter (DM) of roots and needles, with an increased DM percentage in the roots compared with the shoots. In contrast, under additional BL, subalpine fir showed reduced transpiration and an increased terminal bud formation and lower DM in the stems and needles but no change in the DM distribution. Since these conifers respond differently to BL, the proportion of BL during the day should be considered when designing light spectra for tree seedling production. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Light and Temperature Signals for Regulating Growth and Development of Crops)
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18 pages, 841 KiB  
Article
Effects of Root Temperature on the Plant Growth and Food Quality of Chinese Broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. alboglabra Bailey)
by Fang He, Björn Thiele, Sharin Santhiraraja-Abresch, Michelle Watt, Thorsten Kraska, Andreas Ulbrich and Arnd J. Kuhn
Agronomy 2020, 10(5), 702; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy10050702 - 14 May 2020
Cited by 20 | Viewed by 5565
Abstract
Root temperature has long been considered an essential environmental factor influencing the plant’s physiology. However, little is known about the effect of root temperature on the quality of the food produced by the plant, especially that of horticultural crops. To fill this gap, [...] Read more.
Root temperature has long been considered an essential environmental factor influencing the plant’s physiology. However, little is known about the effect of root temperature on the quality of the food produced by the plant, especially that of horticultural crops. To fill this gap, two independent root cooling experiments (15 °C vs. 20 °C and 10 °C vs. 20 °C) were conducted in autumn 2017 and spring 2018 in hydroponics with Chinese broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. alboglabra Bailey) under greenhouse conditions. The aim was to investigate the effect of root temperature on plant growth (biomass, height, yield) and food quality (soluble sugars, total chlorophyll, starch, minerals, glucosinolates). A negative impact on shoot growth parameters (yield, shoot biomass) was detected by lowering the root temperature to 10 °C. Chinese broccoli showed no response to 15 °C root temperature, except for an increase in root biomass. Low root temperature was in general associated with a higher concentration of soluble sugars and total chlorophyll, but lower mineral levels in stems and leaves. Ten individual glucosinolates were identified in the stems and leaves, including six aliphatic and four indolic glucosinolates. Increased levels of neoglucobrassicin in leaves tracked root cooling more closely in both experiments. Reduction of root temperature by cooling could be a potential method to improve certain quality characters of Chinese broccoli, including sugar and glucosinolate levels, although at the expense of shoot biomass. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Light and Temperature Signals for Regulating Growth and Development of Crops)
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