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Physiological and Biochemical Responses to Abiotic Stresses in Plants
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Physiological and Biochemical Responses to Abiotic Stresses in Plants

A special issue of Plants (ISSN 2223-7747). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant Response to Abiotic Stress and Climate Change".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 March 2024) | Viewed by 6990

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Federico J. Berli

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Guest Editor
Instituto de Biología Agrícola de Mendoza (IBAM), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias, Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, Almirante Brown 500, Chacras de Coria M5528, Argentina
Interests: abiotic stress; biochemistry; biotechnology; genetics; hormonal signaling; physiology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Rubén Bottini

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Guest Editor
Instituto de Veterinaria Ambiente y Salud, Universidad Juan A. Maza, Lateral Sur del Acceso Este 2245, Guaymallén 5519, Argentina
Interests: viticulture; phytohormones; plant physiology; abiotic stress tolerance; red-wine-making residues
Dr. Patricia Piccoli

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Guest Editor
IBAM-CONICET-Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias, Almte. Brown 500, Chacras de Coria, Mendoza 5507, Argentina
Interests: viticulture; sugar transport; plant secondary metabolites; terpenes; plant growth-promoting bacteria

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Plants can sense the environmental conditions they are exposed to during their growth and development and consequently generate acclimation responses. Many species show high phenotypic plasticity; that is, according to the ambience changes, they are capable of expressing variations in anatomy, morphology, physiology and biochemistry that allow them to cope with the changing situation. As a result, they are distributed and/or may be cultivated across a broad range of locations. These responses involve variations in primary and secondary metabolites that accumulate within plant tissues, such as leaves and fruits, subsequently influencing both the chemical and sensory attributes of harvest products. In some extreme environments influenced by factors determined by the cultivation site, such as high ultraviolet-B radiation at high altitudes or environmental dryness and high temperatures (due to global warming), plants can experience stress levels where their defense mechanisms may be overloaded. This can lead to observed repair responses or oxidative damage effects. Such environmental factors are diverse, act in combination and include, for instance, scarcity in soil water availability, air dryness, strong winds, extreme temperatures and high solar radiation. This Special Issue aims to gather research papers focusing on the acclimation mechanisms of various plants to a range of abiotic stressful factors related to the expansion of cultivation sites and potential scenarios of global warming. This includes aspects of hormonal signaling and regulation, as well as epigenetic and molecular factors, and even the possibility of gene editing to “design” plants more adaptable to changing and extreme environments. Furthermore, the goal is to incorporate papers that relate these physiological effects to the vegetative growth, fruit yield, and the profiles of primary and secondary metabolites, thus influencing the alimentary attributes of consumable parts.

Dr. Federico J. Berli
Dr. Rubén Bottini
Dr. Patricia Piccoli
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

  • acclimation mechanisms
  • adaptation to climate change
  • phenotypic plasticity
  • plant signaling
  • secondary metabolites
  • stress defense

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

13 pages, 1488 KiB  
Article
Seasonality Affects Low-Molecular-Weight Organic Acids and Phenolic Compounds’ Composition in Scots Pine Litterfall
by Anna Ilek, Monika Gąsecka, Zuzanna Magdziak, Costas Saitanis and Courtney M. Siegert
Plants 2024, 13(10), 1293; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13101293 - 8 May 2024
Viewed by 1036
Abstract
Background and Aims: Secondary plant metabolites, including organic acids and phenolic compounds, have a significant impact on the properties of organic matter in soil, influencing its structure and function. How the production of these compounds in foliage that falls to the forest floor [...] Read more.
Background and Aims: Secondary plant metabolites, including organic acids and phenolic compounds, have a significant impact on the properties of organic matter in soil, influencing its structure and function. How the production of these compounds in foliage that falls to the forest floor as litterfall varies across tree age and seasonality are of considerable interest for advancing our understanding of organic matter dynamics. Methods: Monthly, we collected fallen needles of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) across stands of five different age classes (20, 40, 60, 80, and 100 years) for one year and measured the organic acids and phenolic compounds. Results: Seven low-molecular-weight organic acids and thirteen phenolic compounds were detected in the litterfall. No differences were observed across stand age. Significant seasonal differences were detected. Most compounds peaked during litterfall in the growing season. Succinic acid was the most prevalent organic acid in the litterfall, comprising 78% of total organic acids (351.27 ± 34.27 µg g− 1), and was 1.5 to 11.0 times greater in the summer than all other seasons. Sinapic acid was the most prevalent phenolic compound in the litterfall (42.15 µg g− 1), representing 11% of the total phenolic compounds, and was 39.8 times greater in spring and summer compared to autumn and winter. Growing season peaks in needle concentrations were observed for all thirteen phenolic compounds and two organic acids (lactic, succinic). Citric acid exhibited a definitive peak in late winter into early spring. Conclusions: Our results highlight the seasonal dynamics of the composition of secondary plant metabolites in litterfall, which is most different at the onset of the growing season. Fresh inputs of litterfall at this time of emerging biological activity likely have seasonal impacts on soil’s organic matter composition as well. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Physiological and Biochemical Responses to Abiotic Stresses in Plants)
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14 pages, 2235 KiB  
Article
Effects of Wind Exposure and Deficit Irrigation on Vegetative Growth, Yield Components and Berry Composition of Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon
by Rodrigo Alonso, Flavio Muñoz, Rubén Bottini, Patricia Piccoli and Federico J. Berli
Plants 2024, 13(10), 1292; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13101292 - 8 May 2024
Viewed by 898
Abstract
The impact of global warming on Argentine viticulture may result in a geographical shift, with wine-growing regions potentially moving towards the southwest, known as one of the windiest regions in the world. Deficit irrigation is a widely used strategy to control the shoot [...] Read more.
The impact of global warming on Argentine viticulture may result in a geographical shift, with wine-growing regions potentially moving towards the southwest, known as one of the windiest regions in the world. Deficit irrigation is a widely used strategy to control the shoot growth and improve fruit quality attributes, such as berry skin polyphenols. The present study aimed to assess the effects of different wind intensities and irrigation levels, as well as their interactions, on field-grown Vitis vinifera L. cvs. Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon. The experiment was conducted during two growing seasons with two wind treatments (sheltered and exposed) and two irrigation treatments (well-watered and moderate deficit irrigation) in a multifactorial design. Vegetative growth, stomatal conductance, shoot biomass partition, fruit yield components and berry skin phenolics were evaluated. Our study found that, generally, wind exposure reduced vegetative growth, and deficit irrigation increased the proportion of smaller berries within the bunches. Meanwhile, deficit irrigation and wind exposure additively increased the concentration of berry skin phenolics. Combined stressful conditions enhance biomass partition across the shoot to fruits in Malbec, increasing the weight of bunches and the number of berries. Our findings offer practical implications for vineyard managers in windy regions, providing actionable insights to optimize grapevine cultivation and enhance wine quality. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Physiological and Biochemical Responses to Abiotic Stresses in Plants)
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18 pages, 4348 KiB  
Article
Morphological, Anatomical, and Physiological Characteristics of Heteroblastic Acacia melanoxylon Grown under Weak Light
by Xiaogang Bai, Zhaoli Chen, Mengjiao Chen, Bingshan Zeng, Xiangyang Li, Panfeng Tu and Bing Hu
Plants 2024, 13(6), 870; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13060870 - 18 Mar 2024
Viewed by 1318
Abstract
Acacia melanoxylon is a fast-growing macrophanerophyte with strong adaptability whose leaf enables heteromorphic development. Light is one of the essential environmental factors that induces the development of the heteroblastic leaf of A. melanoxylon, but its mechanism is unclear. In this study, the [...] Read more.
Acacia melanoxylon is a fast-growing macrophanerophyte with strong adaptability whose leaf enables heteromorphic development. Light is one of the essential environmental factors that induces the development of the heteroblastic leaf of A. melanoxylon, but its mechanism is unclear. In this study, the seedlings of A. melanoxylon clones were treated with weak light (shading net with 40% of regular light transmittance) and normal light (control) conditions for 90 d and a follow-up observation. The results show that the seedlings’ growth and biomass accumulation were inhibited under weak light. After 60 days of treatment, phyllodes were raised under the control condition while the remaining compound was raised under weak light. The balance of root, stem, and leaf biomass changed to 15:11:74 under weak light, while it was 40:15:45 under control conditions. After comparing the anatomical structures of the compound leaves and phyllode, they were shown to have their own strategies for staying hydrated, while phyllodes were more able to control water loss and adapt to intense light. The compound leaves exhibited elevated levels of K, Cu, Ca, and Mg, increased antioxidant enzyme activity and proline content, and higher concentrations of chlorophyll a, carotenoids, ABA, CTK, and GA. However, they displayed a relatively limited photosynthetic capacity. Phyllodes exhibited higher levels of Fe, cellulose, lignin, IAA content, and high photosynthetic capacity with a higher maximum net photosynthetic rate, light compensation point, dark respiration rate, and water use efficiency. The comparative analysis of compound leaves and phyllodes provides a basis for understanding the diverse survival strategies that heteroblastic plants employ to adapt to environmental changes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Physiological and Biochemical Responses to Abiotic Stresses in Plants)
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14 pages, 6310 KiB  
Article
Effects of Simulated Acid Rain on Photosynthesis in Pinus massoniana and Cunninghamia lanceolata in Terms of Prompt Fluorescence, Delayed Fluorescence, and Modulated Reflection at 820 nm
by Pengzhou Shu, Xiaofei Gong, Yanlei Du, Yini Han, Songheng Jin, Zhongxu Wang, Penghong Qian and Xueqin Li
Plants 2024, 13(5), 622; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13050622 - 24 Feb 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1234
Abstract
The effects of simulated acid rain (SAR) on the photosynthetic performance of subtropical coniferous species have not been thoroughly investigated. In this study, we treated two coniferous species, Pinus massoniana (PM) and Cunninghamia lanceolata (CL), with four gradients of SAR and then analyzed [...] Read more.
The effects of simulated acid rain (SAR) on the photosynthetic performance of subtropical coniferous species have not been thoroughly investigated. In this study, we treated two coniferous species, Pinus massoniana (PM) and Cunninghamia lanceolata (CL), with four gradients of SAR and then analyzed their photosynthetic activities through measurements of gas exchange, prompt fluorescence (PF), delayed fluorescence (DF), and modulated reflection at 820 nm (MR820). Gas exchange analysis indicated that the decrease in the net photosynthetic rate (Pn) in PM and CL was unrelated to stomatal factors. For the PF transients, SAR induced positive K-band and L-band, a significant reduction in photosynthetic performance index (PIABS), the quantum yield of electron transfer per unit cross-section (ETO/CSm), and maximal photochemical efficiency of photosystem II (Fv/Fm). Analysis of the MR820 kinetics showed that the re-reduction kinetics of PSI reaction center (P700+) and plastocyanin (PC+) became slower and occurred at later times under SAR treatment. For the DF signals, a decrease in the amplitude of the DF induction curve reduced the maximum value of DF (I1). These results suggested that SAR obstructed photosystem II (PSII) donor-side and acceptor-side electron transfer capacity, impaired the connectivity between PSII and PSI, and destroyed the oxygen-evolving complex (OEC). However, PM was better able to withstand SAR stress than CL, likely because of the activation of a protective mechanism. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Physiological and Biochemical Responses to Abiotic Stresses in Plants)
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15 pages, 2856 KiB  
Article
Drought-Stress-Induced Changes in Chloroplast Gene Expression in Two Contrasting Strawberry Tree (Arbutus unedo L.) Genotypes
by João Martins, Mariana Neves and Jorge Canhoto
Plants 2023, 12(24), 4133; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12244133 - 11 Dec 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1591
Abstract
This study investigated the effect of drought stress on the expression of chloroplast genes in two different genotypes (A1 and A4) of strawberry tree plants with contrasting performances. Two-year-old plants were subjected to drought (20 days at 18% field capacity), and the photosynthetic [...] Read more.
This study investigated the effect of drought stress on the expression of chloroplast genes in two different genotypes (A1 and A4) of strawberry tree plants with contrasting performances. Two-year-old plants were subjected to drought (20 days at 18% field capacity), and the photosynthetic activity, chlorophyll content, and expression levels of 16 chloroplast genes involved in photosynthesis and metabolism-related enzymes were analyzed. Genotype-specific responses were prominent, with A1 displaying wilting and leaf curling, contrasting with the mild symptoms observed in A4. Quantification of damage using the net CO2 assimilation rates and chlorophyll content unveiled a significant reduction in A1, while A4 maintained stability. Gene expression analysis revealed substantial downregulation of A1 (15 out of 16 genes) and upregulation of A4 (14 out of 16 genes). Notably, psbC was downregulated in A1, while it was prominently upregulated in A4. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) highlighted genotype-specific clusters, emphasizing distinct responses under stress, whereas a correlation analysis elucidated intricate relationships between gene expression, net CO2 assimilation, and chlorophyll content. Particularly, a positive correlation with psaB, whereas a negative correlation with psbC was found in genotype A1. Regression analysis identified potential predictors for net CO2 assimilation, in particular psaB. These findings contribute valuable insights for future strategies targeting crop enhancement and stress resilience, highlighting the central role of chloroplasts in orchestrating plant responses to environmental stressors, and may contribute to the development of drought-tolerant plant varieties, which are essential for sustaining agriculture in regions affected by water scarcity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Physiological and Biochemical Responses to Abiotic Stresses in Plants)
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