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Growth, Development, and Stress Response of Horticulture Plants
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Growth, Development, and Stress Response of Horticulture Plants

A special issue of Plants (ISSN 2223-7747). This special issue belongs to the section "Horticultural Science and Ornamental Plants".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2025 | Viewed by 16101

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Wenfeng Nie

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Guest Editor
Department of Horticulture, College of Horticulture and Plant Protection, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
Interests: DNA demethylation; abiotic stress; fruit ripening; fruit quality
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Fan Zhang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Biology, Ministry of Education, College of Horticulture and Forestry Sciences, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
Interests: plant senescence; flower senescence; petal senescence; cut flower; ethylene signaling; transcriptional regulation; epigenetic regulation; postharvest
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Ping Wang

E-Mail Website1 Website2
Guest Editor
Department of Genetics, Development and Cell Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
Interests: brassinosteroid signaling; autophagy; Feronia; plant growth and stress responses; protein degradation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Horticulture plants and their products are necessary nutritional and functional components in human society. The growth and development of horticulture plants are complicated, and they are not only inevitably regulated by environmental factors but also largely dependent on genetic and epigenetic interactions. Moreover, the balance between growth and stress is essential for the quality and yield of horticultural crops. In recent years, although increasing studies have revealed that epigenetic regulations are of importance to fruit ripening, how the epigenome of horticulture plants is dynamically modulated in response to development, growth, and stress stimulations is not fully known.

This Special Issue aims to investigate the growth, development, and stress response of horticulture plants through the methods of molecular biology, biochemistry, genetics, and bioinformatics, providing perspectives on the potential challenges in horticulture crop production. This Special Issue welcomes manuscripts that use horticulture plants as the experimental material to conduct analyses on the genetic and epigenetic molecular mechanisms that are involved in the regulation of growth and the development and abiotic/biotic stresses.

Dr. Wenfeng Nie
Prof. Dr. Fan Zhang
Dr. Ping Wang
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

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. Plants is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly 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 2700 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

  • horticulture
  • growth and development
  • biotic stress
  • abiotic stress
  • epigenetic modification
  • temperature
  • light quality

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Published Papers (9 papers)

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Research

14 pages, 6074 KiB  
Article
Members of WRKY Group III Transcription Factors Are Important in Mite Infestation in Strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duch.)
by Peng Chen, Xianhong Zhou, Haiting Wang, Xiuxia Zhang, Lei Wang, Huanhuan Gao, Qianying Zhuang, Heqin Li and Ansheng Zhang
Plants 2024, 13(19), 2822; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13192822 - 9 Oct 2024
Viewed by 968
Abstract
Strawberry is frequently attacked by mites, which directly affects the yield and quality of this fruit species. The WRKY Group III transcription factors (TFs) play an important role in plant tolerance to biotic sources of stress, such as pathogens and insect pests. In [...] Read more.
Strawberry is frequently attacked by mites, which directly affects the yield and quality of this fruit species. The WRKY Group III transcription factors (TFs) play an important role in plant tolerance to biotic sources of stress, such as pathogens and insect pests. In this study, six Group III WRKY TFs (FaWRKY25, FaWRKY31, FaWRKY32, FaWRKY43, FaWRKY44, and FaWRKY45) were identified in strawberry. A phylogenetic analysis showed that the six WRKY III TFs were divided into two clades and all had a conserved WRKYGQK domain and the C-X7-C-X23-H-T-C zinc finger motif. An interaction network analysis revealed that FaWRKY44 was co-expressing with FaWRKY25 and FaWRKY45. The expression patterns showed that the WRKY Group III genes responded to plant hormones and mite infestation in strawberry. To further verify the role of FaWRKY25 in plant resistance to mites, we cloned the FaWRKY25 gene and overexpressed it in transgenic plants. An in vivo subcellular localization analysis indicated that the FaWRKY25 protein was localized in the nucleus. Fewer mites were also detected on the wild-type plants than on FaWRKY25-overexpressing transgenic plants, suggesting that FaWRKY25 negatively regulates the resistance of strawberry to mites. The present study advances our understanding on a potential target that mites use to manipulate host plant defenses. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Growth, Development, and Stress Response of Horticulture Plants)
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20 pages, 7076 KiB  
Article
Evolution and Functional Dynamics of TCP Transcription Factor Gene Family in Passion Fruit (Passiflora edulis)
by Munsif Ali Shad, Songguo Wu, Muhammad Junaid Rao, Xiaoying Luo, Xiaojin Huang, Yuxin Wu, Yuhong Zhou, Lingqiang Wang, Chongjian Ma and Lihua Hu
Plants 2024, 13(18), 2568; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13182568 - 13 Sep 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1133
Abstract
Passion fruit is a valued tropical fruit crop that faces environment-related growth strains. TCP genes are important for both growth modulation and stress prevention in plants. Herein, we systematically analyzed the TCP gene family in passion fruit, recognizing 30 members. Genes exhibiting closer [...] Read more.
Passion fruit is a valued tropical fruit crop that faces environment-related growth strains. TCP genes are important for both growth modulation and stress prevention in plants. Herein, we systematically analyzed the TCP gene family in passion fruit, recognizing 30 members. Genes exhibiting closer phylogenetic relationships exhibited similar protein and gene structures. Gene members of the TCP family showed developmental-stage- or tissue-specific expression profiles during the passion fruit life cycle. Transcriptome data also demonstrated that many PeTCPs showed induced expression in response to hormonal treatments and cold, heat, and salt stress. Based on transcriptomics data, eight candidate genes were chosen for preferential gene expression confirmation under cold stress conditions. The qRT-PCR assays suggested PeTCP15/16/17/19/23 upregulation, while PeTCP1/11/25 downregulation after cold stress. Additionally, TCP19/20/29/30 exhibited in silico binding with cold-stress-related miRNA319s. GFP subcellular localization assays exhibited PeTCP19/1 were localized at the nucleus. This study will aid in the establishment of novel germplasm, as well as the further investigation of the roles of PeTCPs and their cold stress resistance characteristics. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Growth, Development, and Stress Response of Horticulture Plants)
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14 pages, 8410 KiB  
Article
Functional Characterization of the Paeonia ostii P5CS Gene under Drought Stress
by Yuting Luan, Honglei An, Zijie Chen, Daqiu Zhao and Jun Tao
Plants 2024, 13(15), 2145; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13152145 - 2 Aug 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1311
Abstract
With persistent elevation in global temperature, water scarcity becomes a major threat to plant growth and development, yield security, agricultural sustainability, and food production. Proline, as a key osmolyte and antioxidant, plays a critical role in regulating drought tolerance in plants, especially its [...] Read more.
With persistent elevation in global temperature, water scarcity becomes a major threat to plant growth and development, yield security, agricultural sustainability, and food production. Proline, as a key osmolyte and antioxidant, plays a critical role in regulating drought tolerance in plants, especially its key biosynthetic enzyme, delta-1-pyrroline-5-carboxylate synthase (P5CS), which always positively responds to drought stress. As an important woody oil crop, the expansion of Paeonia ostii cultivation needs to address the issue of plant drought tolerance. Here, we isolated a PoP5CS gene from P. ostii, with an open reading frame of 1842 bp encoding 613 amino acids. PoP5CS expression progressively increased in response to increasing drought stress, and it was localized in the cytoplasm. Silencing of PoP5CS in P. ostii reduced drought tolerance, accompanied by decreased proline content, elevated reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation, and increased relative electrical conductivity (REC) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels. Conversely, overexpression of PoP5CS in Nicotiana tabacum plants enhanced drought resistance, manifested by increased proline levels, reduced ROS accumulation, and lower REC and MDA contents. This study isolates PoP5CS from P. ostii and validates its role in regulating drought tolerance, providing valuable genetic resources and theoretical insights for the development of drought-resistant P. ostii cultivars. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Growth, Development, and Stress Response of Horticulture Plants)
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10 pages, 1459 KiB  
Article
Can Photoselective Nets’ Influence Pollen Traits? A Case Study in ‘Matua’ and ‘Tomuri’ Kiwifruit Cultivars
by Helena Ribeiro, Nuno Mariz-Ponte, Sónia Pereira, Alexandra Guedes, Ilda Abreu, Luísa Moura and Conceição Santos
Plants 2024, 13(12), 1691; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13121691 - 19 Jun 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 3956
Abstract
The increasing use of photoselective nets (PNs) raises the question of their influence on pollen traits. We aimed to evaluate the effect of PNs (yellow, pearl, and grey) on the pollen of ‘Matua’ and ‘Tomuri’ Actinidia deliciosa cultivars. The pollen size and the [...] Read more.
The increasing use of photoselective nets (PNs) raises the question of their influence on pollen traits. We aimed to evaluate the effect of PNs (yellow, pearl, and grey) on the pollen of ‘Matua’ and ‘Tomuri’ Actinidia deliciosa cultivars. The pollen size and the exine were studied with a light microscopy and a scanning electron microscopy, and the fertility was analysed by a viability assay and in vitro germination. The total soluble proteins (TSPs) and sugars (TSSs) were quantified by colorimetric assays. The molecular structure of the pollen grain’s wall was analysed by a Raman spectroscopy. The pollen from the plants under the PNs had a larger width and area and a lower germination rate. No significant changes were observed in the exine’s microperforations. The TSP and TSS contents were influenced by the cultivar and PNs (particularly the pearl PN). The Raman spectra of the pollen from the plants grown under the nets presented some bands that significantly shifted from their original position, indicating differences in the vibration modes of the molecules, but no overall changes at their structural or organisation level were found. Our study showed that the PNs could influence several pollen traits, with the pearl PN inducing greater modifications. Our results also support the idea that cultivars affect the outcome of some characteristics. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Growth, Development, and Stress Response of Horticulture Plants)
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17 pages, 17435 KiB  
Article
Genome-Wide Identification Analysis of GST Gene Family in Wild Blueberry Vaccinium duclouxii and Their Impact on Anthocyanin Accumulation
by Wei Lv, Liyong Zhu, Lifa Tan, Lei Gu, Hongcheng Wang, Xuye Du, Bin Zhu, Tuo Zeng and Caiyun Wang
Plants 2024, 13(11), 1497; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13111497 - 29 May 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1379
Abstract
Vaccinium duclouxii, a wild blueberry species native to the mountainous regions of southwestern China, is notable for its exceptionally high anthocyanin content, surpassing that of many cultivated varieties and offering significant research potential. Glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) are versatile enzymes crucial for anthocyanin [...] Read more.
Vaccinium duclouxii, a wild blueberry species native to the mountainous regions of southwestern China, is notable for its exceptionally high anthocyanin content, surpassing that of many cultivated varieties and offering significant research potential. Glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) are versatile enzymes crucial for anthocyanin transport in plants. Yet, the GST gene family had not been previously identified in V. duclouxii. This study utilized a genome-wide approach to identify and characterize the GST gene family in V. duclouxii, revealing 88 GST genes grouped into seven distinct subfamilies. This number is significantly higher than that found in closely related species, with these genes distributed across 12 chromosomes and exhibiting gene clustering. A total of 46 members are classified as tandem duplicates. The gene structure of VdGST is relatively conserved among related species, showing closer phylogenetic relations to V. bracteatum and evidence of purifying selection. Transcriptomic analysis and qRT-PCR indicated that VdGSTU22 and VdGSTU38 were highly expressed in flowers, VdGSTU29 in leaves, and VdGSTF11 showed significant expression in ripe and fully mature fruits, paralleling trends seen with anthocyanin accumulation. Subcellular localization identified VdGSTF11 primarily in the plasma membrane, suggesting a potential role in anthocyanin accumulation in V. duclouxii fruits. This study provides a foundational basis for further molecular-level functional analysis of the transport and accumulation of anthocyanins in V. duclouxii, enhancing our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying anthocyanin metabolism in this valuable species. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Growth, Development, and Stress Response of Horticulture Plants)
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20 pages, 10233 KiB  
Article
A Genome-Wide Analysis of the BAM Gene Family and Identification of the Cold-Responsive Genes in Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.)
by Longbo Liu, Suwan Xu, Lehao Zhang and Jie Zheng
Plants 2024, 13(10), 1321; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13101321 - 10 May 2024
Viewed by 1735
Abstract
Beta-amylases (BAMs, EC 3.2.1.2), belonging to a multigene family, play a pivotal role in starch breakdown and are also involved in hormonal and stress responses, notably to cold stress. Pomegranate trees (Punica granatum L.) are adapted to warm climates and are sensitive [...] Read more.
Beta-amylases (BAMs, EC 3.2.1.2), belonging to a multigene family, play a pivotal role in starch breakdown and are also involved in hormonal and stress responses, notably to cold stress. Pomegranate trees (Punica granatum L.) are adapted to warm climates and are sensitive to cold temperatures. In this study, we analyzed eight PgBAM genes from the pomegranate genome dataset. These members unevenly distributed across chromosomes and were categorized into four groups based on their orthologous members. The motif composition was highly consistent among most members. In contrast, exon numbers and arrangements were conserved within groups or subgroups, whereas significant diversity was observed between different groups. A syntenic analysis revealed that three PgBAM members (PgBAM1/4/5) showed a total of 11 syntenic relationships with the BAM members from Arabidopsis, kiwifruit, and Chinese white pear, respectively. Promoter binding motif prediction suggested potential roles for PgBAMs’ genes in light, stress, hormones, and development signaling. Gene expression indicated that PgBAM4 was predominantly expressed in leaves, PgBAM7 in flowers, and PgBAM8 in roots and leaves and during fruit ripening, particularly in pericarp development. A transcriptome analysis identified the starch and sucrose metabolism pathway (map00500) as a key factor in the cold stress response of cold-sensitive cultivar ‘Tunisia’ seedlings. PgBAM4 exhibited remarkable expression and was closely associated with the cold-responsive BAM genes, characterized by a closer phylogenetic relationship, conserved catalytic residues, and similar secondary and tertiary structures. Moreover, the differences in soluble sugar levels and PgBAM4 expression were closely associated with the varying cold stress resistance observed between ‘Tunisia’ and ‘Sanbai’ seedlings. Furthermore, yeast one-hybrid assays confirmed that PgCBF7, a critical transcription factor for enhancing freezing tolerance, binds to the promoter region of PgBAM4. Our findings provide a systematic overview of the PgBAM gene family and shed new light on the regulatory mechanisms underlying cold stress tolerance in pomegranate. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Growth, Development, and Stress Response of Horticulture Plants)
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19 pages, 5106 KiB  
Article
The Identification and Analysis of the Self-Incompatibility Pollen Determinant Factor SLF in Lycium barbarum
by Jiali Wu, Xiongxiong Nan, Xin Zhang, Wendi Xu, Haijun Ma, Zijun Yang and Cuiping Wang
Plants 2024, 13(7), 959; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13070959 - 26 Mar 2024
Viewed by 1548
Abstract
Self-incompatibility is a widespread genetic mechanism found in flowering plants. It plays a crucial role in preventing inbreeding and promoting outcrossing. The genes that control self-incompatibility in plants are typically determined by the S-locus female determinant factor and the S-locus male determinant factor. [...] Read more.
Self-incompatibility is a widespread genetic mechanism found in flowering plants. It plays a crucial role in preventing inbreeding and promoting outcrossing. The genes that control self-incompatibility in plants are typically determined by the S-locus female determinant factor and the S-locus male determinant factor. In the Solanaceae family, the male determinant factor is often the SLF gene. In this research, we cloned and analyzed 13 S2-LbSLF genes from the L. barbarum genome, which are located on chromosome 2 and close to the physical location of the S-locus female determinant factor S-RNase, covering a region of approximately 90.4 Mb. The amino acid sequence identity of the 13 S2-LbSLFs is 58.46%, and they all possess relatively conserved motifs and typical F-box domains, without introns. A co-linearity analysis revealed that there are no tandemly repeated genes in the S2-LbSLF genes, and that there are two pairs of co-linear genes between S2-LbSLF and the tomato, which also belongs to the Solanaceae family. A phylogenetic analysis indicates that the S2-LbSLF members can be divided into six groups, and it was found that the 13 S2-LbSLFs are clustered with the SLF genes of tobacco and Petunia inflata to varying degrees, potentially serving as pollen determinant factors regulating self-incompatibility in L. barbarum. The results for the gene expression patterns suggest that S2-LbSLF is only expressed in pollen tissue. The results of the yeast two-hybrid assay showed that the C-terminal region of S2-LbSLFs lacking the F-box domain can interact with S-RNase. This study provides theoretical data for further investigation into the functions of S2-LbSLF members, particularly for the identification of pollen determinant factors regulating self-incompatibility in L. barbarum. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Growth, Development, and Stress Response of Horticulture Plants)
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15 pages, 4342 KiB  
Article
Comprehensive Analyses of Four PhNF-YC Genes from Petunia hybrida and Impacts on Flowering Time
by Jing Bin, Qinghua Tan, Shiyun Wen, Licheng Huang, Huimin Wang, Muhammad Imtiaz, Zhisheng Zhang, Herong Guo, Li Xie, Ruizhen Zeng and Qian Wei
Plants 2024, 13(5), 742; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13050742 - 6 Mar 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1340
Abstract
Nuclear Factor Y (NF-Y) is a class of heterotrimeric transcription factors composed of three subunits: NF-A, NF-YB, and NF-YC. NF-YC family members play crucial roles in various developmental processes, particularly in the regulation of flowering time. However, their functions in petunia remain poorly [...] Read more.
Nuclear Factor Y (NF-Y) is a class of heterotrimeric transcription factors composed of three subunits: NF-A, NF-YB, and NF-YC. NF-YC family members play crucial roles in various developmental processes, particularly in the regulation of flowering time. However, their functions in petunia remain poorly understood. In this study, we isolated four PhNF-YC genes from petunia and confirmed their subcellular localization in both the nucleus and cytoplasm. We analyzed the transcript abundance of all four PhNF-YC genes and found that PhNF-YC2 and PhNF-YC4 were highly expressed in apical buds and leaves, with their transcript levels decreasing before flower bud differentiation. Silencing PhNF-YC2 using VIGS resulted in a delayed flowering time and reduced chlorophyll content, while PhNF-YC4-silenced plants only exhibited a delayed flowering time. Furthermore, we detected the transcript abundance of flowering-related genes involved in different signaling pathways and found that PhCO, PhGI, PhFBP21, PhGA20ox4, and PhSPL9b were regulated by both PhNF-YC2 and PhNF-YC4. Additionally, the transcript abundance of PhSPL2, PhSPL3, and PhSPL4 increased only in PhNF-YC2-silenced plants. Overall, these results provide evidence that PhNF-YC2 and PhNF-YC4 negatively regulate flowering time in petunia by modulating a series of flowering-related genes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Growth, Development, and Stress Response of Horticulture Plants)
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12 pages, 5849 KiB  
Article
SmRAV1, an AP2 and B3 Transcription Factor, Positively Regulates Eggplant’s Response to Salt Stress
by Junjie Ding, Bowen Yao, Xu Yang and Lei Shen
Plants 2023, 12(24), 4174; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12244174 - 15 Dec 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1667
Abstract
Salt stress is a lethal abiotic stress threatening global food security on a consistent basis. In this study, we identified an AP2 and B3 domain-containing transcription factor (TF) named SmRAV1, and its expression levels were significantly up-regulated by NaCl, abscisic acid (ABA), and [...] Read more.
Salt stress is a lethal abiotic stress threatening global food security on a consistent basis. In this study, we identified an AP2 and B3 domain-containing transcription factor (TF) named SmRAV1, and its expression levels were significantly up-regulated by NaCl, abscisic acid (ABA), and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) treatment. High expression of SmRAV1 was observed in the roots and sepal of mature plants. The transient expression assay in Nicotiana benthamiana leaves revealed that SmRAV1 was localized in the nucleus. Silencing of SmRAV1 via virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) decreased the tolerance of eggplant to salt stress. Significant down-regulation of salt stress marker genes, including SmGSTU10 and SmNCED1, was observed. Additionally, increased H2O2 content and decreased catalase (CAT) enzyme activity were recorded in the SmRAV1-silenced plants compared to the TRV:00 plants. Our findings elucidate the functions of SmRAV1 and provide opportunities for generating salt-tolerant lines of eggplant. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Growth, Development, and Stress Response of Horticulture Plants)
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