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Strategies and Mechanisms for Enhancing Stress Tolerance in Wheat
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Strategies and Mechanisms for Enhancing Stress Tolerance in Wheat

A special issue of Plants (ISSN 2223-7747). This special issue belongs to the section "Crop Physiology and Crop Production".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 November 2024) | Viewed by 10233

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Xiao Wang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Agriculture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
Interests: abiotic stress physiology; crop yield and quality; stress induced priming; carbon use efficiency; plant hormone regulation; redox homeostasis; transcroptomics; proteomics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Wheat, as one of the world's most important cereal crops, plays a critical role in meeting global calorie demands. However, its production is threatened by a changing climate due to the increasing impact of various environmental stressors, such as higher temperatures, droughts, and severe weather conditions. Unfortunately, the wheat crop is highly sensitive to fluctuations in temperature, water availability, and soil nutrients. Hence, it has become increasingly important to develop new and sustainable approaches to enhance the yield and stress tolerance of wheat for food security.

To address the challenges facing wheat production worldwide, we are pleased to invite you to contribute to our Special Issue entitled "Strategies and Mechanisms for Enhancing Stress Tolerance in Wheat". This Special Issue will feature original research articles, reviews, and perspectives discussing cutting-edge solutions to enhance wheat productivity and improve its stress tolerance and physiological traits. We will cover innovative practices, including the latest crop improvement strategies, sustainable agricultural practices, and the impact of climate change on global wheat production. We strongly believe that this is an important platform for researchers to discuss ways to overcome food security challenges.

We look forward to receiving your valuable contributions to this Special Issue and aim to make it a prominent reference in the high-yield wheat research field.

Prof. Dr. Xiao Wang
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. 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

  • abiotic stresses
  • physiological mechanisms
  • priming
  • epigenetics
  • plant hormone

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 7995 KiB  
Article
Optimized Phosphorus Application Enhances Wheat Stem Lodging Resistance Under Spring Low-Temperature Stress
by Xiang Chen, Qianqian Liu, Baoqiang Zheng and Jincai Li
Plants 2024, 13(21), 2980; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13212980 - 25 Oct 2024
Viewed by 573
Abstract
Spring low-temperature stress (LTS) has become a major limiting factor for the development of high yield, quality and efficiency in wheat production. It not only affects the function of wheat leaves and the development of spikes but also impacts stem lodging resistance, and [...] Read more.
Spring low-temperature stress (LTS) has become a major limiting factor for the development of high yield, quality and efficiency in wheat production. It not only affects the function of wheat leaves and the development of spikes but also impacts stem lodging resistance, and may experience elevated risk of stem lodging. This study conducted a field pot experiment to assess the effect of phosphorus fertilizer application mode on wheat stem lodging resistance under spring LTS. Two wheat varieties, Yannong19 (YN19, cold-tolerant variety) and Xinmai26 (XM26, cold-sensitive variety) used as the experiment material. Two phosphorus fertilizer application models including traditional phosphorus application (TPA) and optimized phosphorus application (OPA) were employed. Temperature treatment was conducted at 15 °C (CK) and −4 °C (LT) in a controlled phytotron. Our results showed that spring LTS decreased the stem wall thickness and internode fullness, and altered stem anatomical structure and chemical composition, resulting in a decrease in wheat stem mechanical strength and lodging resistant index. Compared with TPA, the OPA increased the stem wall thickness and internode fullness. The thickness of the stem mechanic tissue layer and parenchymatous tissue, and the area of the large vascular bundle and small vascular bundle were increased by the OPA, which alleviated the damage to stem cell walls caused by spring LTS. At the same time, the OPA also increased the contents of lignin, cellulose, and soluble sugar, improving the C/N ratio in wheat stem. Due to the improved stem morphological characteristics, anatomical structure, and chemical compositions, the wheat stem exhibited enhanced lodging resistance, which increased the lodging resistant index of the 2nd and 3rd internodes of YN19 and XM26 by 27.27%, 11.63% and 14.15%, 15.73% at the dough stage compared with TPA under spring LTS. Meanwhile, OPA could not only alleviate the yield loss caused by spring LTS, but also increase the grain yield without spring LTS. This study indicated that OPA enhances wheat stem lodging resistance under spring LTS, and would be meaningful and practical for improving wheat resistance to low-temperature stress. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Strategies and Mechanisms for Enhancing Stress Tolerance in Wheat)
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19 pages, 1665 KiB  
Article
Exploitation of the Genetic Variability of Diverse Metric Traits of Durum Wheat (Triticum turgidum L. ssp. durum Desf.) Cultivars for Local Adaptation to Semi-Arid Regions of Algeria
by Zine El Abidine Fellahi, Tahar Boubellouta, Abderrahmane Hannachi, Haroun Belguet, Nasreddine Louahdi, Amar Benmahammed, Aleksandra O. Utkina and Nazih Y. Rebouh
Plants 2024, 13(7), 934; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13070934 - 23 Mar 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1224
Abstract
Abiotic stresses pose significant challenges to wheat farming, yet exploiting the genetic variability within germplasm collections offers an opportunity to effectively address these challenges. In this study, we investigated the genetic diversity of key agronomic traits among twenty durum wheat cultivars, with the [...] Read more.
Abiotic stresses pose significant challenges to wheat farming, yet exploiting the genetic variability within germplasm collections offers an opportunity to effectively address these challenges. In this study, we investigated the genetic diversity of key agronomic traits among twenty durum wheat cultivars, with the intention to pinpoint those better suited to semi-arid conditions. Field trials were conducted at the ITGC-FDPS Institute, Setif, Algeria, during the winter season of 2021/22. A completely randomized design was used with three replicates. Statistical analyses revealed significant variation among the genotypes for most of the studied traits, with some cultivars exhibiting a superior performance in a stressful environment. Notably, traits like the number of grains per spike (NGS) and the grain yield (GY) displayed high genotypic coefficients of variation (CVg). Except for membrane thermostability (MT) and biological yield (BY), the majority of the assessed traits exhibited moderate-to-high heritability estimates. Genotypic and phenotypic correlation studies have confirmed the importance of many yield-related traits in the expression of GY. The harvest index (HI) underscored the highest genotypic direct effect on GY, followed closely by spike number (SN), serving as consistent pathways through which most of the measured traits indirectly influenced GY. The cluster analysis categorized the durum wheat cultivars into seven distinct clusters. The largest inter-cluster distance was observed between clusters G3 and G4 (D2 = 6145.86), reflecting maximum dissimilarity between the individuals of these clusters. Hybridizing divergent clusters may benefit future breeding programs aiming to develop potential durum wheat varieties through cross combinations. This study’s findings contribute to sustainable agriculture efforts by facilitating the selection of genotypes with enhanced resilience and productivity, particularly for cultivation in challenging semi-arid regions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Strategies and Mechanisms for Enhancing Stress Tolerance in Wheat)
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11 pages, 1116 KiB  
Article
A Combination of Three Genomic Regions Conditions High Level of Adult Plant Stripe Rust Resistance in Australian Wheat Cultivar Sentinel
by Bosco Chemayek, William Wagoire, Urmil Bansal and Harbans Bariana
Plants 2024, 13(1), 129; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13010129 - 2 Jan 2024
Viewed by 1405
Abstract
A seedling susceptible Australian common wheat cultivar Sentinel showed resistance to stripe rust under field conditions. A Sentinel/Nyabing3 (Nyb3)-derived recombinant inbred line (RIL) population was phenotyped. A DArTseq marker-based linkage map of the Sentinel/Nyb3 RIL population was used to determine the chromosomal location [...] Read more.
A seedling susceptible Australian common wheat cultivar Sentinel showed resistance to stripe rust under field conditions. A Sentinel/Nyabing3 (Nyb3)-derived recombinant inbred line (RIL) population was phenotyped. A DArTseq marker-based linkage map of the Sentinel/Nyb3 RIL population was used to determine the chromosomal location of the adult plant stripe rust resistance possessed by Sentinel. Three consistent quantitative trait loci (QTL); QYr.sun-1BL, QYr.sun-2AS and QYr.sun-3BS were detected, and they on an average explained 18%, 15.6% and 10.6% of the variation in stripe rust response, respectively. All three QTL were contributed by Sentinel. QYr.sun-1B corresponded to the previously characterized gene Yr29. Sentinel expressed resistance at the four-leaf stage at 21 ± 2 °C in the greenhouse. Monogenic segregation among the RIL population was observed when screened at the four-leaf stage at 21 ± 2 °C in the greenhouse, and the underlying resistance locus was temporarily named YrSen. QYr.sun-3BS peaked on YrSen. QYr.sun-2AS was mendelized by generating and phenotyping a mongenically sgregating F6 RIL population, and it was temporarily designated YrSen2. RILs carrying Yr29, YrSen and YrSen2 in combination exhibited responses like the parent Sentinel. Based on a comparison of the genomic locations and resistance expression with stripe rust resistance genes previously located in their respective chromosomes, QYr.sun-2AS (YrSen2) and QYr.sun-3BS (YrSen) were concluded to represent new loci. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Strategies and Mechanisms for Enhancing Stress Tolerance in Wheat)
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16 pages, 2366 KiB  
Article
Enhanced Stomatal Conductance Supports Photosynthesis in Wheat to Improved NH4+ Tolerance
by Jinling Hu, Qiaomei Zheng, Chaofeng Dong, Zhihui Liang, Zhongwei Tian and Tingbo Dai
Plants 2024, 13(1), 86; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13010086 - 27 Dec 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1177
Abstract
The impact of ammonium (NH4+) stress on plant growth varies across species and cultivars, necessitating an in-depth exploration of the underlying response mechanisms. This study delves into elucidating the photosynthetic responses and differences in tolerance to NH4+ stress [...] Read more.
The impact of ammonium (NH4+) stress on plant growth varies across species and cultivars, necessitating an in-depth exploration of the underlying response mechanisms. This study delves into elucidating the photosynthetic responses and differences in tolerance to NH4+ stress by investigating the effects on two wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars, Xumai25 (NH4+-less sensitive) and Yangmai20 (NH4+-sensitive). The cultivars were grown under hydroponic conditions with either sole ammonium nitrogen (NH4+, AN) or nitrate nitrogen (NO3−, NN) as the nitrogen source. NH4+ stress exerted a profound inhibitory effect on seedling growth and photosynthesis in wheat. However, these effects were less pronounced in Xumai25 than in Yangmai20. Dynamic photosynthetic analysis revealed that the suppression in photosynthesis was primarily attributed to stomatal limitation associated with a decrease in leaf water status and osmotic potential. Compared to Yangmai20, Xumai25 exhibited a significantly higher leaf K+ concentration and TaAKT1 upregulation, leading to a stronger stomatal opening and, consequently, a better photosynthetic performance under NH4+ stress. In conclusion, our study suggested stomatal limitation as the primary factor restricting photosynthesis under NH4+ stress. Furthermore, we demonstrated that improved regulation of osmotic substances contributed to higher stomatal conductance and enhanced photosynthetic performance in Xumai25. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Strategies and Mechanisms for Enhancing Stress Tolerance in Wheat)
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15 pages, 3877 KiB  
Article
The Role of the Ascorbic Acid–Glutathione Cycle in Young Wheat Ears’ Response to Spring Freezing Stress
by Yuting Zhang, Chunyang Ni, Yongwen Dong, Xue Jiang, Chang Liu, Weiling Wang, Can Zhao, Guohui Li, Ke Xu and Zhongyang Huo
Plants 2023, 12(24), 4170; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12244170 - 15 Dec 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1252
Abstract
Freezing stress in spring often causes the death and abnormal development of young ears of wheat, leading to a significant reduction in grain production. However, the mechanisms of young wheat ears responding to freezing are largely unclear. In this study, the role of [...] Read more.
Freezing stress in spring often causes the death and abnormal development of young ears of wheat, leading to a significant reduction in grain production. However, the mechanisms of young wheat ears responding to freezing are largely unclear. In this study, the role of the ascorbic acid–glutathione cycle (AsA–GSH cycle) in alleviating freezing-caused oxidative damage in young wheat ears at the anther connective tissue formation phase (ACFP) was investigated. The results showed that the release rate of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the relative electrolyte conductivity in young ears of Jimai22 (JM22, freezing-tolerant) were significantly lower than those in young ears of Xumai33 (XM33, freezing-sensitive) under freezing. The level of the GSH pool (231.8~392.3 μg/g FW) was strikingly higher than that of the AsA pool (98.86~123.4 μg/g FW) in young wheat ears at the ACFP. Freezing significantly increased the level of the AsA pool and the activities of ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and monodehydroascorbate reductase (MDHAR) in the young ears of both varieties. The level of the GSH pool increased in the young ears of XM33 under freezing but decreased in the young ears of JM22. The young ears of JM22 showed higher activities of glutathione reductase (GR), glutathione-S-transferase (GST) and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) than the young ears of XM33 under freezing. Collectively, these results suggest that the AsA–GSH cycle plays a positive role in alleviating freezing-induced oxidative damage in young wheat ears. Furthermore, the ability of utilizing GSH as a substrate to scavenge ROS is an important factor affecting the freezing tolerance of young wheat ears. In addition, abscisic acid (ABA), salicylic acid (SA), 3-indolebutyric acid (IBA) and cis-zeatin (cZ) may be involved in regulating the AsA–GSH cycle metabolism in young wheat ears under freezing. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Strategies and Mechanisms for Enhancing Stress Tolerance in Wheat)
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13 pages, 4298 KiB  
Article
Comparison of Different Machine Learning Algorithms for the Prediction of the Wheat Grain Filling Stage Using RGB Images
by Yunlin Song, Zhuangzhuang Sun, Ruinan Zhang, Haijiang Min, Qing Li, Jian Cai, Xiao Wang, Qin Zhou and Dong Jiang
Plants 2023, 12(23), 4043; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12234043 - 30 Nov 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1505
Abstract
Grain filling is essential for wheat yield formation, but is very susceptible to environmental stresses, such as high temperatures, especially in the context of global climate change. Grain RGB images include rich color, shape, and texture information, which can explicitly reveal the dynamics [...] Read more.
Grain filling is essential for wheat yield formation, but is very susceptible to environmental stresses, such as high temperatures, especially in the context of global climate change. Grain RGB images include rich color, shape, and texture information, which can explicitly reveal the dynamics of grain filling. However, it is still challenging to further quantitatively predict the days after anthesis (DAA) from grain RGB images to monitor grain development. Results: The WheatGrain dataset revealed dynamic changes in color, shape, and texture traits during grain development. To predict the DAA from RGB images of wheat grains, we tested the performance of traditional machine learning, deep learning, and few-shot learning on this dataset. The results showed that Random Forest (RF) had the best accuracy of the traditional machine learning algorithms, but it was far less accurate than all deep learning algorithms. The precision and recall of the deep learning classification model using Vision Transformer (ViT) were the highest, 99.03% and 99.00%, respectively. In addition, few-shot learning could realize fine-grained image recognition for wheat grains, and it had a higher accuracy and recall rate in the case of 5-shot, which were 96.86% and 96.67%, respectively. Materials and Methods: In this work, we proposed a complete wheat grain dataset, WheatGrain, which covers thousands of wheat grain images from 6 DAA to 39 DAA, which can characterize the complete dynamics of grain development. At the same time, we built different algorithms to predict the DAA, including traditional machine learning, deep learning, and few-shot learning, in this dataset, and evaluated the performance of all models. Conclusions: To obtain wheat grain filling dynamics promptly, this study proposed an RGB dataset for the whole growth period of grain development. In addition, detailed comparisons were conducted between traditional machine learning, deep learning, and few-shot learning, which provided the possibility of recognizing the DAA of the grain timely. These results revealed that the ViT could improve the performance of deep learning in predicting the DAA, while few-shot learning could reduce the need for a number of datasets. This work provides a new approach to monitoring wheat grain filling dynamics, and it is beneficial for disaster prevention and improvement of wheat production. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Strategies and Mechanisms for Enhancing Stress Tolerance in Wheat)
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14 pages, 2521 KiB  
Article
Effect of Exogenous Calcium on Tolerance of Winter Wheat to Cold Stress during Stem Elongation Stage
by Maguje Masa Malko, Xinyue Peng, Xing Gao, Jian Cai, Qin Zhou, Xiao Wang and Dong Jiang
Plants 2023, 12(21), 3784; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12213784 - 6 Nov 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1849
Abstract
Low-temperature stress during stem elongation is a major factor limiting wheat yield. While calcium (Ca2+) is known to enhance stress tolerance, it’s potential as an alternative to cold priming and the underlying mechanisms in wheat remains unclear. The current study assessed [...] Read more.
Low-temperature stress during stem elongation is a major factor limiting wheat yield. While calcium (Ca2+) is known to enhance stress tolerance, it’s potential as an alternative to cold priming and the underlying mechanisms in wheat remains unclear. The current study assessed the effects of exogenous Ca2+ and calcium inhibitors on wheat growth and related physiology mechanisms under low-temperature stress. The results revealed that exogenous Ca2+ increased photosynthesis and antioxidant capacity, lowered cell membrane damage, and ultimately enhanced tolerance to low-temperature stress during the stem elongation stage, compared with the non-exogenous Ca2+ treatment. Moreover, exogenous Ca2+ induced endogenous Ca2+ content and triggered the upregulation of Ca2+ signaling and cold-responsive related genes. This study highlights the significance of exogenous Ca2+ in enhancing stress tolerance and contributing to wheat yield improvement under low-temperature stress. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Strategies and Mechanisms for Enhancing Stress Tolerance in Wheat)
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