Plant Adaptation to Abiotic Stresses

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 July 2023) | Viewed by 15776

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Guest Editor
Department of Agricultural, Food, and Nutritional Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G2R3, Canada
Interests: genetic diversity studies; genomics of genebanks; germplasm conservation; gene and QTL discovery; germplasm enhancement (pre-breeding); marker-assisted selection; genomic selection
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Co-Guest Editor
Department of Botany, Institute of Biology, Warsaw University of Life Sciences SGGW, 02-787 Warsaw, Poland
Interests: plant responses to abiotic stress; legume-rhizobia symbiosis; mycorrhiza; functioning of the host plants and their symbionts under abiotic stress
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Climate change negatively affects crop production on a global scale by altering temperature and rainfall patterns. In some regions, temperatures are increasing, eventually reducing yields due to the inability of most cultivars to tolerate heat, and an increase in biotic stresses (diseases, pests, and weeds). In the Northern hemisphere, the temperature during the crop growing season could be more erratically coupled with a short growing season that requires the development of early-maturing cultivars to escape frost damage. Changes in precipitation patterns increase the likelihood of crop failures due to drought during the critical stages of plant development, flooding, submergence, waterlogging, etc. Flooding affects the soil structure and fertility of arable lands, including leaching of nutrients, changes in soil pH, microbial organisms, etc. This Special Issue will feature original research articles, literature reviews, and opinion papers that explore the use of modern breeding tools and technologies that accelerate efforts in developing climate-resilient cultivars, including phenomics, genomics, transcriptomics, genome-wide predictions, machine learning (deep learning), speed breeding, genome editing, and gene/QTL discovery studies using high-density genotype and sequence data. The abiotic stresses include drought, high temperature/heat, submergence/flooding, cold, soil acidity/alkalinity, iron toxicity, etc.

Dr. Kassa Semagn
Dr. Marzena Sujkowska-Rybkowska
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • drought tolerance
  • heat tolerance
  • submergence/flooding tolerance
  • cold tolerance
  • soil acidity/alkalinity
  • iron toxicity
  • big data
  • omics
  • precision breeding

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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23 pages, 6860 KiB  
Article
Bridging the Gap: Combining Genomics and Transcriptomics Approaches to Understand Stylosanthes scabra, an Orphan Legume from the Brazilian Caatinga
by José Ribamar Costa Ferreira-Neto, Manassés Daniel da Silva, Eliseu Binneck, Natoniel Franklin de Melo, Rahisa Helena da Silva, Ana Luiza Trajano Mangueira de Melo, Valesca Pandolfi, Fernanda de Oliveira Bustamante, Ana Christina Brasileiro-Vidal and Ana Maria Benko-Iseppon
Plants 2023, 12(18), 3246; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12183246 - 13 Sep 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1613
Abstract
Stylosanthes scabra is a scientifically orphaned legume found in the Brazilian Caatinga biome (a semi-arid environment). This work utilized omics approaches to investigate some ecophysiological aspects of stress tolerance/resistance in S. scabra, study its genomic landscape, and predict potential metabolic pathways. Considering [...] Read more.
Stylosanthes scabra is a scientifically orphaned legume found in the Brazilian Caatinga biome (a semi-arid environment). This work utilized omics approaches to investigate some ecophysiological aspects of stress tolerance/resistance in S. scabra, study its genomic landscape, and predict potential metabolic pathways. Considering its high-confidence conceptual proteome, 1694 (~2.6%) proteins were associated with resistance proteins, some of which were found in soybean QTL regions that confer resistance to Asian soybean rust. S. scabra was also found to be a potential source of terpenes, as biosynthetic gene clusters associated with terpene biosynthesis were identified in its genome. The analysis revealed that mobile elements comprised approximately 59% of the sequenced genome. In the remaining 41% of the sections, some of the 22,681 protein-coding gene families were categorized into two informational groups: those that were specific to S. scabra and those that expanded significantly compared to their immediate ancestor. Biological process enrichment analyses indicated that these gene families play fundamental roles in the adaptation of S. scabra to extreme environments. Additionally, phylogenomic analysis indicated a close evolutionary relationship between the genera Stylosanthes and Arachis. Finally, this study found a high number (57) of aquaporin-encoding loci in the S. scabra genome. RNA-Seq and qPCR data suggested that the PIP subfamily may play a key role in the species’ adaptation to water deficit conditions. Overall, these results provide valuable insights into S. scabra biology and a wealth of gene/transcript information for future legume omics studies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Adaptation to Abiotic Stresses)
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18 pages, 4601 KiB  
Article
Monitoring Drought Tolerance in Oil Palm: Choline Monooxygenase as a Novel Molecular Marker
by Potjamarn Suraninpong, Kannika Thongkhao, Azzreena Mohamad Azzeme and Padungsak Suksa-Ard
Plants 2023, 12(17), 3089; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12173089 - 28 Aug 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1409
Abstract
Water scarcity negatively impacts oil palm production, necessitating the development of drought-tolerant varieties. This study aimed to develop molecular markers for oil palm breeding programs focused on drought tolerance. Genes associated with drought tolerance were selected, and single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)-based markers were [...] Read more.
Water scarcity negatively impacts oil palm production, necessitating the development of drought-tolerant varieties. This study aimed to develop molecular markers for oil palm breeding programs focused on drought tolerance. Genes associated with drought tolerance were selected, and single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)-based markers were developed. Genomic DNA was successfully extracted from 17 oil palm varieties, and 20 primers out of 44 were effectively amplified. Screening with single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) revealed an informative SNP marker from the choline monooxygenase (CMO) gene, exhibiting CC, CT, and TT genotypes. Notably, the oil palm variety La Mé showed the CT genotype, while Surat Thani 2 (Deli × La Mé) exhibited the CT and CC genotypes in a 1:1 ratio. Gene expression analysis confirmed the association of the CMO gene with drought tolerance in commercial oil palm varieties. The full-length CMO gene was 1308 bp long and shared sequence similarities with other plant species. However, amino acid sequence variations were observed compared with existing databases. These findings highlight the potential utility of the CMO marker for drought tolerance selection, specifically within the La Mé parent of oil palm Surat Thani 2 varieties, and strongly confirm the La Mé S5 population and Surat Thani 2 as drought-tolerant varieties. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Adaptation to Abiotic Stresses)
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22 pages, 2739 KiB  
Article
Potential Benefits of Seed Priming under Salt Stress Conditions on Physiological, and Biochemical Attributes of Micro-Tom Tomato Plants
by Nasratullah Habibi, Shafiqullah Aryan, Mohammad Wasif Amin, Atsushi Sanada, Naoki Terada and Kaihei Koshio
Plants 2023, 12(11), 2187; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12112187 - 31 May 2023
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2521
Abstract
Pre-sowing seed priming is one of the methods used to improve the performance of tomato plants under salt stress, but its effect photosynthesis, yield, and quality have not yet been well investigated. This experiment aimed to alleviate the impact of sodium chloride stress [...] Read more.
Pre-sowing seed priming is one of the methods used to improve the performance of tomato plants under salt stress, but its effect photosynthesis, yield, and quality have not yet been well investigated. This experiment aimed to alleviate the impact of sodium chloride stress on the photosynthesis parameters of tomato cv. Micro−Tom (a dwarf Solanum lycopersicum L.) plants exposed to salt stress conditions. Each treatment combination consisted of five different sodium chloride concentrations (0 mM, 50 mM, 100 mM, 150 mM, and 200 mM) and four priming treatments (0 MPa, −0.4 MPa, −0.8 MPa, and −1.2 MPa), with five replications. Microtome seeds were subjected to polyethylene glycol (PEG6000) treatments for 48 hours for priming, followed by germination on a moist filter paper, and then transferred to the germination bed after 24 h. Subsequently, the seedlings were transplanted into the Rockwool, and the salinity treatments were administered after a month. In our study salinity significantly affected tomato plants’ physiological and antioxidant attributes. Primed seeds produced plants that exhibited relatively better photosynthetic activity than those grown from unprimed seeds. Our findings indicated that priming doses of −0.8 MPa and −1.2 MPa were the most effective at stimulating tomato plant photosynthesis, and biochemical contents under salinity-related conditions. Moreover, primed plants demonstrated relatively superior fruit quality features such as fruit color, fruit Brix, sugars (glucose, fructose, and sucrose), organic acids, and vitamin C contents under salt stress, compared to non-primed plants. Furthermore, priming treatments significantly decreased the malondialdehyde, proline, and hydrogen peroxide content in plant leaves. Our results suggest that seed priming may be a long-term method for improving crop productivity and quality in challenging environments by enhancing the growth, physiological responses, and fruit quality attributes of Micro-Tom tomato plants under salt stress conditions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Adaptation to Abiotic Stresses)
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17 pages, 3574 KiB  
Article
Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi as an Important Factor Enabling the Adaptation of Anthyllis vulneraria L. to Zn-Pb-Polluted Tailings
by Marzena Sujkowska-Rybkowska, Anna Lisek, Beata Sumorok, Edyta Derkowska, Magdalena Szymańska and Lidia Sas-Paszt
Plants 2023, 12(11), 2092; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12112092 - 24 May 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1893
Abstract
The old Zn-Pb-contaminated (calamine) tailings in southern Poland are spontaneously colonized by metal-tolerant Anthyllis vulneraria L. (Fabaceae), which can form simultaneously symbiotic association with nitrogen-fixing rhizobia and phosphorus-acquiring arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF). So far, fungal colonization and the AMF diversity of [...] Read more.
The old Zn-Pb-contaminated (calamine) tailings in southern Poland are spontaneously colonized by metal-tolerant Anthyllis vulneraria L. (Fabaceae), which can form simultaneously symbiotic association with nitrogen-fixing rhizobia and phosphorus-acquiring arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF). So far, fungal colonization and the AMF diversity of calamine-inhabiting legumes have been poorly studied. Thus, we determined AMF spore density in the substratum and the mycorrhizal status of nodulated A. vulneraria plants occurring on calamine tailings (M) and on a reference non-metallicolous (NM) site. The results indicate the presence of the Arum-type of arbuscular mycorrhiza in the roots of both Anthyllis ecotypes. Despite the presence of AM fungi in M plant roots, the dark septate endophyte (DSE) fungi (hyphae and microsclerotia) were occasionally also detected. Metal ions were accumulated mainly in the nodules and intraradical fungal structures rather than thick plant cell walls. Mycorrhization parameters (frequency of mycorrhization and intensity of root cortex colonization) for M plants were markedly higher and differed in a statistically significant manner from the parameters for NM plants. Heavy metal excess had no negative effect on the number of AMF spores, the amounts of glomalin-related soil proteins and AMF species composition. Molecular identification of AMF using PCR-DGGE analysis based on the 18S rDNA ribosomal gene by nested-PCR with primers AM1/NS31 and NS31-GC/Glo1 revealed similar genera/species of AMF in the roots of both Anthyllis ecotypes: Rhizophagus sp., R. fasciculatus, and R. iranicus. The results of this work indicate the presence of unique fungal symbionts, which may enhance A. vulneraria tolerance to heavy metal stress and plant adaptation to extreme conditions on calamine tailings. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Adaptation to Abiotic Stresses)
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Review

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25 pages, 2468 KiB  
Review
Signal Mediators in the Implementation of Jasmonic Acid’s Protective Effect on Plants under Abiotic Stresses
by Yuriy E. Kolupaev, Tetiana O. Yastreb and Alexander P. Dmitriev
Plants 2023, 12(14), 2631; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12142631 - 13 Jul 2023
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 1859
Abstract
Plant cells respond to stress by activating signaling and regulatory networks that include plant hormones and numerous mediators of non-hormonal nature. These include the universal intracellular messenger calcium, reactive oxygen species (ROS), gasotransmitters, small gaseous molecules synthesized by living organisms, and signal functions [...] Read more.
Plant cells respond to stress by activating signaling and regulatory networks that include plant hormones and numerous mediators of non-hormonal nature. These include the universal intracellular messenger calcium, reactive oxygen species (ROS), gasotransmitters, small gaseous molecules synthesized by living organisms, and signal functions such as nitrogen monoxide (NO), hydrogen sulfide (H2S), carbon monoxide (CO), and others. This review focuses on the role of functional linkages of jasmonic acid and jasmonate signaling components with gasotransmitters and other signaling mediators, as well as some stress metabolites, in the regulation of plant adaptive responses to abiotic stressors. Data on the involvement of NO, H2S, and CO in the regulation of jasmonic acid formation in plant cells and its signal transduction were analyzed. The possible involvement of the protein components of jasmonate signaling in stress-protective gasotransmitter effects is discussed. Emphasis is placed on the significance of the functional interaction between jasmonic acid and signaling mediators in the regulation of the antioxidant system, stomatal apparatus, and other processes important for plant adaptation to abiotic stresses. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Adaptation to Abiotic Stresses)
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37 pages, 1620 KiB  
Review
Recent Molecular Aspects and Integrated Omics Strategies for Understanding the Abiotic Stress Tolerance of Rice
by Babar Usman, Behnam Derakhshani and Ki-Hong Jung
Plants 2023, 12(10), 2019; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12102019 - 18 May 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2453
Abstract
Rice is an important staple food crop for over half of the world’s population. However, abiotic stresses seriously threaten rice yield improvement and sustainable production. Breeding and planting rice varieties with high environmental stress tolerance are the most cost-effective, safe, healthy, and environmentally [...] Read more.
Rice is an important staple food crop for over half of the world’s population. However, abiotic stresses seriously threaten rice yield improvement and sustainable production. Breeding and planting rice varieties with high environmental stress tolerance are the most cost-effective, safe, healthy, and environmentally friendly strategies. In-depth research on the molecular mechanism of rice plants in response to different stresses can provide an important theoretical basis for breeding rice varieties with higher stress resistance. This review presents the molecular mechanisms and the effects of various abiotic stresses on rice growth and development and explains the signal perception mode and transduction pathways. Meanwhile, the regulatory mechanisms of critical transcription factors in regulating gene expression and important downstream factors in coordinating stress tolerance are outlined. Finally, the utilization of omics approaches to retrieve hub genes and an outlook on future research are prospected, focusing on the regulatory mechanisms of multi-signaling network modules and sustainable rice production. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Adaptation to Abiotic Stresses)
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13 pages, 1845 KiB  
Review
Impact of Polyploidy Induction for Salinity Stress Mitigation in Soybean (Glycine max L. Merrill)
by Phetole Mangena
Plants 2023, 12(6), 1356; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12061356 - 17 Mar 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2749
Abstract
Polyploidy induction is recognized as one of the major evolutionary processes leading to remarkable morphological, physiological, and genetic variations in plants. Soybean (Glycine max L.), also known as soja bean or soya bean, is an annual leguminous crop of the pea family [...] Read more.
Polyploidy induction is recognized as one of the major evolutionary processes leading to remarkable morphological, physiological, and genetic variations in plants. Soybean (Glycine max L.), also known as soja bean or soya bean, is an annual leguminous crop of the pea family (Fabaceae) that shares a paleopolypoidy history, dating back to approximately 56.5 million years ago with other leguminous crops such as cowpea and other Glycine specific polyploids. This crop has been documented as one of the polyploid complex species among legumes whose gene evolution and resultant adaptive growth characteristics following induced polyploidization has not been fully explored. Furthermore, no successfully established in vivo or in vitro based polyploidy induction protocols have been reported to date, particularly, with the intention to develop mutant plants showing strong resistance to abiotic salinity stress. This review, therefore, describes the role of synthetic polyploid plant production in soybean for the mitigation of high soil salt stress levels and how this evolving approach could be used to further enhance the nutritional, pharmaceutical and economic industrial value of soybeans. This review also addresses the challenges involved during the polyploidization process. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Adaptation to Abiotic Stresses)
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