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Life
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Plant Biotic and Abiotic Stresses 2024
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Plant Biotic and Abiotic Stresses 2024

A special issue of Life (ISSN 2075-1729). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant Science".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 May 2025 | Viewed by 8656

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Gastón Pizzio

E-Mail Website1 Website2
Guest Editor
Institute for Integrative Systems Biology, I²SysBio, Universitat de València—CSIC, 46908 Paterna, Valencia, Spain
Interests: phytohormones; cell signaling; ABA biotechnology; abiotic stress
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Jie Luo

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Horticulture & Forestry Sciences, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
Interests: nitrogen use efficiency; transcriptome; proteomics; woody plant; abiotic stress
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Global food production and the concomitant human survival significantly rely on crop stress resistance. Both biotic and abiotic stresses, exacerbated by climate change, represent substantial constraints on worldwide agricultural output. Employing different agricultural formulations based on biostimulants that enhance tolerance mechanisms to stress emerges as a promising strategy to address this looming threat. Such formulations, from phytohormones to antioxidants, have the potential to enhance plant resilience to stress through osmotic adjustment, antioxidant response stimulation, or immunity activation, among other processes. The development of novel strategies in plant management to enhance both biotic and abiotic stresses is essential to mitigate production losses and augment crop resilience against diverse stressors.

To address plant growth and survival in suboptimal environments, it is imperative to conduct research on the regulation of plant stress. This Special Issue of Life, entitled “Plant Biotic and Abiotic Stresses”, aims to compile original research articles and review papers regarding this matter. Unraveling the mechanisms of stress tolerance in plants creates new avenues for applications in agricultural biotechnology and food production. The ultimate goal is to establish a foundational understanding for advancing stress-resistant breeding in crops.

Dr. Gastón Pizzio
Dr. Jie Luo
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • plant stress
  • abiotic stress
  • biotic stress

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Published Papers (8 papers)

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Research

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18 pages, 1223 KiB  
Article
In Vitro Evaluation of Iraqi Kurdistan Tomato Accessions Under Drought Stress Conditions Using Polyethylene Glycol-6000
by Nawroz Abdul-razzak Tahir, Kamaran Salh Rasul, Djshwar Dhahir Lateef, Rebwar Rafat Aziz and Jalal Omer Ahmed
Life 2024, 14(11), 1502; https://doi.org/10.3390/life14111502 - 18 Nov 2024
Viewed by 541
Abstract
Drought is one of the major abiotic stresses that affect plant growth and productivity, and plant stress responses are affected by both the intensity of stress and genotype. In Iraqi Kurdistan, tomato plants play a significant role in the country’s economy. Due to [...] Read more.
Drought is one of the major abiotic stresses that affect plant growth and productivity, and plant stress responses are affected by both the intensity of stress and genotype. In Iraqi Kurdistan, tomato plants play a significant role in the country’s economy. Due to climate change, which causes soil moisture to diminish, the crop’s growth and yield have been dropping in recent years. Accordingly, the effects of simulated drought stress on germination parameters were assessed in 64 tomato accessions gathered from the Iraqi Kurdistan region in order to identify sensitive and tolerant accessions. In this respect, the responses associated with drought stress were observed phenotypically and biochemically. Germination percentage (GP) and morphological characteristics such as root length (RL), shoot length (SL), and shoot fresh weight (SFW) were significantly reduced in both stress treatments with polyethylene glycol (PEG-6000) (7.5% PEG and 15% PEG). On the other hand, significant changes in biochemical profiles such as proline content (PC), soluble sugar content (SSC), total phenolic content (TPC), antioxidant activity (AC), guaiacol peroxidase (GPA), catalase (CAT), and lipid peroxidation (LP) in tomato accessions were detected; all biochemical traits were increased in most tomato accessions under the PEG-induced treatments compared to the control treatment (0.0% PEG). Three tomato accessions (AC61 (Raza Pashayi), AC9 (Wrdi Be Tow), and AC63 (Sandra)) were found to be the most tolerant accessions under all drought conditions, whereas the performances of the other tested accessions (AC13 (Braw), AC30 (Yadgar), and AC8 (Israili)) were inferior. The OMIC analysis identified the biomarker parameters for differentiating the highly, moderately, and low tolerant groups as PC, SSC, and TPC. This study shows that early PEG-6000 screening for drought stress may help in choosing a genotype that is suitable for growth in water-stressed environments. Hence, Raza Pashayi, Wrdi Be Tow, and Sandra accessions, which had great performances under drought conditions, can be candidates for selection in a breeding program to improve the growth of plants and production in the areas that face water limits. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Biotic and Abiotic Stresses 2024)
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21 pages, 4674 KiB  
Article
Impact of Plant Growth-Promoting Microorganism (PGPM) Consortium on Biochemical Properties and Yields of Tomato Under Drought Stress
by Ram Krishna, Waquar Akhter Ansari, Mohammad Altaf, Durgesh Kumar Jaiswal, Sudhakar Pandey, Achuit Kumar Singh, Sudhir Kumar and Jay Prakash Verma
Life 2024, 14(10), 1333; https://doi.org/10.3390/life14101333 - 18 Oct 2024
Viewed by 703
Abstract
Drought is the most important abiotic stress that restricts the genetically predetermined yield potential of the crops. In the present study, four tomato varieties: Kashi Vishesh, Kashi Aman, Kashi Abhiman, and Kashi Amrit, were used to study the effect of PGPMs (plant growth-promoting [...] Read more.
Drought is the most important abiotic stress that restricts the genetically predetermined yield potential of the crops. In the present study, four tomato varieties: Kashi Vishesh, Kashi Aman, Kashi Abhiman, and Kashi Amrit, were used to study the effect of PGPMs (plant growth-promoting microorganisms). PGPM strains, Bacillus megaterium BHUPSB14, Pseudomonas fluorescens BHUPSB06, Pseudomonas aeruginosa BHUPSB01, Pseudomonas putida BHUPSB0, Paenibacillus polymixa BHUPSB17, and Trichoderma horzianum, were used as the consortium. The control group was irrigated up to 80% of field capacity, while 7-, 14-, and 21-day water-deficit-exposed (DWD) plants’ pot soil moisture was maintained to 40, 25, and 15% of the field capacity, both with and without the PGPM inoculation condition. The physiological parameters, such as electrolyte leakage, relative water content, photosynthetic efficiency, and chlorophyll color index, were significantly improved by PGPM application under progressive drought stress, compared to the control. PGPM application enhanced the proline accumulation and reduced the formation of hydrogen peroxide and lipid peroxidation under drought stress. The plant growth attributes were significantly increased by PGPM application. The Kashi Amrit variety showed the highest fruit yield among the four varieties under all the treatments. The PGPM consortium application also improved the soil physico-biological properties and nutrient availability in the soil. The PGPM consortium used in this study can potentially mitigate drought stress on tomato in drought-prone regions and act as a biofertilizer. The present study will open a new avenue of drought stress management in tomato. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Biotic and Abiotic Stresses 2024)
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16 pages, 3634 KiB  
Article
Alleviation of NaCl Stress on Growth and Biochemical Traits of Cenchrus ciliaris L. via Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Symbiosis
by Jahangir A. Malik, Abdulaziz A. Alqarawi, Fahad Alotaibi, Muhammad M. Habib, Salah N. Sorrori, Majed B. R. Almutairi and Basharat A. Dar
Life 2024, 14(10), 1276; https://doi.org/10.3390/life14101276 - 8 Oct 2024
Viewed by 799
Abstract
Soil salinization, especially in arid and semi-arid regions, is one of the major abiotic stresses that affect plant growth. To mediate and boost plant tolerance against this abiotic stress, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) symbiosis is commonly thought to be an effective tool. So, [...] Read more.
Soil salinization, especially in arid and semi-arid regions, is one of the major abiotic stresses that affect plant growth. To mediate and boost plant tolerance against this abiotic stress, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) symbiosis is commonly thought to be an effective tool. So, the main purpose of this study was to estimate the role of AMF (applied as a consortium of Claroideoglomus etunicatum, Funneliformis mosseae, Rhizophagus fasciculatum, and R. intraradices species) symbiosis in mitigating deleterious salt stress effects on the growth parameters (shoot length (SL), root length (RL), shoot dry weight (SDW), root dry weight (RDW), root surface area (RSA), total root length (TRL), root volume (RV), root diameter (RD), number of nodes and leaves) of Cenchrus ciliaris L. plants through improved accumulations of photosynthetic pigments (chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, total chlorophyll), proline and phenolic compounds. The results of this experiment revealed that the roots of C. ciliaris plants were colonized by AMF under all the applied salinity levels (0, 75, 150, 225, and 300 mM NaCl). However, the rate of colonization was negatively affected by increasing salinity as depicted by the varied colonization structures (mycelium, vesicles, arbuscules and spores) which were highest under non-saline conditions. This association of AMF induced an increase in the growth parameters of the plant which were reduced by salinity stress. The improved shoot/root indices are likely due to enhanced photosynthetic activities as the AMF-treated plants showed increased accumulation of pigments (chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b and total chlorophyll), under saline as well as non-saline conditions, compared to non-AMF (N-AMF) plants. Furthermore, the AMF-treated plants also exhibited enhanced accumulation of proline and phenolic compounds. These accumulated metabolites act as protective measures under salinity stress, hence explaining the improved photosynthetic and growth parameters of the plants. These results suggest that AMF could be a good tool for the restoration of salt-affected habitats. However, more research is needed to check the true efficacy of different AMF inoculants under field conditions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Biotic and Abiotic Stresses 2024)
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16 pages, 5781 KiB  
Article
Genome-Wide Identification of the Remorin Gene Family in Poplar and Their Responses to Abiotic Stresses
by Zihui Li, Hang Wang, Chuanqi Li, Huimin Liu and Jie Luo
Life 2024, 14(10), 1239; https://doi.org/10.3390/life14101239 - 27 Sep 2024
Viewed by 752
Abstract
The Remorin (REM) gene family is a plant-specific, oligomeric, filamentous family protein located on the cell membrane, which is important for plant growth and stress responses. In this study, a total of 22 PtREMs were identified in the genome of Populus [...] Read more.
The Remorin (REM) gene family is a plant-specific, oligomeric, filamentous family protein located on the cell membrane, which is important for plant growth and stress responses. In this study, a total of 22 PtREMs were identified in the genome of Populus trichocarpa. Subcellular localization analysis showed that they were predictively distributed in the cell membrane and nucleus. Only five PtREMs members contain both Remorin_C- and Remorin_N-conserved domains, and most of them only contain the Remorin_C domain. A total of 20 gene duplication pairs were found, all of which belonged to fragment duplication. Molecular evolutionary analysis showed the PtREMs have undergone purified selection. Lots of cis-acting elements assigned into categories of plant growth and development, stress response, hormone response and light response were detected in the promoters of PtREMs. PtREMs showed distinct gene expression patterns in response to diverse stress conditions where the mRNA levels of PtREM4.1, PtREM4.2 and PtREM6.11 were induced in most cases. A co-expression network centered by PtREMs was constructed to uncover the possible functions of PtREMs in protein modification, microtube-based movement and hormone signaling. The obtained results shed new light on understanding the roles of PtREMs in coping with environmental stresses in poplar species. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Biotic and Abiotic Stresses 2024)
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15 pages, 5578 KiB  
Article
Characteristics, Relationships, and Anatomical Basis of Leaf Hydraulic Traits and Economic Traits in Temperate Desert Shrub Species
by Fengsen Tan, Wenxu Cao, Xu Li and Qinghe Li
Life 2024, 14(7), 834; https://doi.org/10.3390/life14070834 - 29 Jun 2024
Viewed by 841
Abstract
Shrubs are a key component of desert ecosystems, playing a crucial role in controlling desertification and promoting revegetation, yet their growth is often impeded by drought. Leaf hydraulic traits and economic traits are both involved in the process of water exchange for carbon [...] Read more.
Shrubs are a key component of desert ecosystems, playing a crucial role in controlling desertification and promoting revegetation, yet their growth is often impeded by drought. Leaf hydraulic traits and economic traits are both involved in the process of water exchange for carbon dioxide. Exploring the characteristics, relationships, and anatomical basis of these two suites of traits is crucial to understanding the mechanism of desert shrubs adapting to the desert arid environment. However, the relationship between these two sets of traits currently remains ambiguous. This study explored the leaf hydraulic, economic, and anatomical traits of 19 desert shrub species. The key findings include the following: Relatively larger LT values and smaller SLA values were observed in desert shrubs, aligning with the “slow strategy” in the leaf economics spectrum. The relatively high P50leaf, low HSMleaf, negative TLPleaf, and positive HSMtlp values indicated that severe embolism occurs in the leaves during the dry season, while most species were able to maintain normal leaf expansion. This implies a “tolerance” leaf hydraulic strategy in response to arid stress. No significant relationship was observed between P50leaf and Kmax, indicating the absence of a trade-off between hydraulic efficiency and embolism resistance. Certain coupling relationships were observed between leaf hydraulic traits and economic traits, both of which were closely tied to anatomical structures. Out of all of the leaf traits, LT was the central trait of the leaf traits network. The positive correlation between C content and WPleaf and HSMleaf, as well as the positive correlation between N content and HSMtlp, suggested that the cost of leaf construction was synergistic with hydraulic safety. The negative correlation between SLA, P content, GCL, and SAI suggested a functional synergistic relationship between water use efficiency and gas exchange rate. In summary, this research revealed that the coupling relationship between leaf hydraulic traits and economic traits was one of the important physiological and ecological mechanisms of desert shrubs for adapting to desert habitats. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Biotic and Abiotic Stresses 2024)
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17 pages, 5926 KiB  
Article
Unveiling Drought-Resilient Latin American Popcorn Lines through Agronomic and Physiological Evaluation
by Uéliton Alves de Oliveira, Antônio Teixeira do Amaral Junior, Jhean Torres Leite, Samuel Henrique Kamphorst, Valter Jário de Lima, Rosimeire Barboza Bispo, Rodrigo Moreira Ribeiro, Flávia Nicácio Viana, Danielle Leal Lamego, Carolina Macedo Carvalho, Bruna Rohem Simão, Talles de Oliveira Santos, Gabriella Rodrigues Gonçalves and Eliemar Campostrini
Life 2024, 14(6), 743; https://doi.org/10.3390/life14060743 - 11 Jun 2024
Viewed by 787
Abstract
Water stress can lead to physiological and morphological damage, affecting the growth and development of popcorn. The objective of this study was to identify the yield potential of 43 popcorn lines derived from a Latin American germplasm collection, based on agronomic and physiological [...] Read more.
Water stress can lead to physiological and morphological damage, affecting the growth and development of popcorn. The objective of this study was to identify the yield potential of 43 popcorn lines derived from a Latin American germplasm collection, based on agronomic and physiological traits, under full irrigation (WW) and water deficit conditions (WS), aiming to select superior germplasm. The evaluated agronomic traits included the ear length and diameter, number of grains per row (NGR) and rows per ear (NRE), grain yield (GY), popping expansion (EC), volume of expanded popcorn per hectare (VP), grain length (GL), width, and thickness. The physiological traits included the chlorophyll, anthocyanin, and flavonoid content in the leaves. The genetic variability and distinct behavior among the lines for all the agronomic traits under WW and WS conditions were observed. When comparing the water conditions, line L292 had the highest mean for the GY, and line L688 had the highest mean for the EC, highlighting them as the most drought-tolerant lines. A water deficit reduced the leaf greenness but increased the anthocyanin content as an adaptive response. The GY trait showed positive correlations with the VP, NGR, and GL under both water conditions, making the latter useful for indirect selection and thus of great interest for plant breeding targeting the simultaneous improvement of these traits. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Biotic and Abiotic Stresses 2024)
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Review

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14 pages, 1032 KiB  
Review
The Role of Brassinosteroids in Plant Cold Stress Response
by Zhiqi He, Mengdi Zhou, Xiaojie Feng, Qinghua Di, Di Meng, Xianchang Yu, Yan Yan, Mintao Sun and Yansu Li
Life 2024, 14(8), 1015; https://doi.org/10.3390/life14081015 - 15 Aug 2024
Viewed by 837
Abstract
Temperature affects plant growth and geographical distribution. Cold stress occurs when temperatures fall below the physiologically optimal range for plants, causing permanent and irreversible damage to plant growth, development, and production. Brassinosteroids (BRs) are steroid hormones that play an important role in plant [...] Read more.
Temperature affects plant growth and geographical distribution. Cold stress occurs when temperatures fall below the physiologically optimal range for plants, causing permanent and irreversible damage to plant growth, development, and production. Brassinosteroids (BRs) are steroid hormones that play an important role in plant growth and various stress responses. Recent studies have shown that low temperatures affect BR biosynthesis in many plant species and that BR signaling is involved in the regulation of plant tolerance to low temperatures, both in the CBF-dependent and CBF-independent pathways. These two regulatory pathways correspond to transient and acclimation responses of low temperature, respectively. The crosstalk between BRs and other hormones is a significant factor in low-temperature tolerance. We provide an overview of recent developments in our knowledge of BRs’ function in plant responses to cold stress and how they interact with other plant hormones in this review. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Biotic and Abiotic Stresses 2024)
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35 pages, 9355 KiB  
Review
Defense Pathways of Wheat Plants Inoculated with Zymoseptoria tritici under NaCl Stress Conditions: An Overview
by Behzat Baran, Fatih Ölmez, Beritan Çapa and Murat Dikilitas
Life 2024, 14(5), 648; https://doi.org/10.3390/life14050648 - 20 May 2024
Viewed by 1151
Abstract
Due to being sessile, plants develop a broad range of defense pathways when they face abiotic or biotic stress factors. Although plants are subjected to more than one type of stress at a time in nature, the combined effects of either multiple stresses [...] Read more.
Due to being sessile, plants develop a broad range of defense pathways when they face abiotic or biotic stress factors. Although plants are subjected to more than one type of stress at a time in nature, the combined effects of either multiple stresses of one kind (abiotic or biotic) or more kinds (abiotic and biotic) have now been realized in agricultural lands due to increases in global warming and environmental pollution, along with population increases. Soil-borne pathogens, or pathogens infecting aerial parts, can have devastating effects on plants when combined with other stressors. Obtaining yields or crops from sensitive or moderately resistant plants could be impossible, and it could be very difficult from resistant plants. The mechanisms of combined stress in many plants have previously been studied and elucidated. Recent studies proposed new defense pathways and mechanisms through signaling cascades. In light of these mechanisms, it is now time to develop appropriate strategies for crop protection under multiple stress conditions. This may involve using disease-resistant or stress-tolerant plant varieties, implementing proper irrigation and drainage practices, and improving soil quality. However, generation of both stress-tolerant and disease-resistant crop plants is of crucial importance. The establishment of a database and understanding of the defense mechanisms under combined stress conditions would be meaningful for the development of resistant and tolerant plants. It is clear that leaf pathogens show great tolerance to salinity stress and result in pathogenicity in crop plants. We noticed that regulation of the stomata through biochemical applications and some effort with the upregulation of the minor gene expressions indirectly involved with the defense mechanisms could be a great way to increase the defense metabolites without interfering with quality parameters. In this review, we selected wheat as a model plant and Zymoseptoria tritici as a model leaf pathogen to evaluate the defense mechanisms under saline conditions through physiological, biochemical, and molecular pathways and suggested various ways to generate tolerant and resistant cereal plants. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Biotic and Abiotic Stresses 2024)
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