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Plant Stress Physiology and Molecular Biology—2nd Edition
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Plant Stress Physiology and Molecular Biology—2nd Edition

A special issue of Plants (ISSN 2223-7747). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant Molecular Biology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 April 2025 | Viewed by 8452

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Peng Zhou

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
Interests: transgenic plants; stress physiology; stress protein; functional gene research
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The journal Plant will publish a Special Issue on phytoremediation and plant stress physiology. Plants grow and reproduce in complex environments, and plants are subject to a variety of chemical and physical abiotic stresses, including low temperature, high temperature, drought, salinity, flooding, excess light, ultraviolet radiation, mineral nutrient deficiency, oxygen deficiency, injuries, and air, soil or water pollution such as heavy metals, pesticides, ozone and sulfur dioxide pollution etc. These abiotic stresses can negatively affect plant physiology and biochemistry, and further affect plants growth and development. In order to cope with abiotic stress, plants tolerate, resist or avoid the harm of stress through various mechanisms. Over the past few decades, a variety of novel methods/technologies have been used to study stress damage to plants and plant responses and defense mechanisms to stress. This Special Issue will cover a wide variety of areas, such as the effects of various abiotic stresses on plants, plant stress resistance genes, the regulatory network of stress resistance, and the role of hormones in plant stress resistance. The aim of this Special Issue is to provide an up-to-date understanding of plant responses to abiotic stress.

Dr. Peng Zhou
Guest Editor

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

  • abiotic stress
  • functional gene
  • regulation network
  • plant responses and defense mechanisms to stress
  • phytohormone

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Related Special Issue

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

13 pages, 2996 KiB  
Article
Transcriptome Responses in Medicago sativa (Alfalfa) Associated with Regrowth Process in Different Grazing Intensities
by Dingyi Sun, Yalin Wang and Na Zhao
Plants 2024, 13(19), 2738; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13192738 - 30 Sep 2024
Viewed by 678
Abstract
Medicago sativa L. (alfalfa), a perennial legume, is generally regarded as a valuable source of protein for livestock and is subjected to long and repeated grazing in natural pastures. Studying the molecular response mechanism of alfalfa under different grazing treatments is crucial for [...] Read more.
Medicago sativa L. (alfalfa), a perennial legume, is generally regarded as a valuable source of protein for livestock and is subjected to long and repeated grazing in natural pastures. Studying the molecular response mechanism of alfalfa under different grazing treatments is crucial for understanding its adaptive traits and is of great significance for cultivating grazing-tolerant grass. Here, we performed a transcriptomic analysis to investigate changes in the gene expression of M. sativa under three grazing intensities. In total, 4184 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified among the tested grazing intensities. The analysis of gene ontology (GO) revealed that genes were primarily enriched in cells, cellular processes, metabolic processes, and binding. In addition, two pathways, the plant–pathogen interaction pathway and the plant hormone signal pathway, showed significant enrichment in the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis. Protein kinases and transcription factors associated with hormones and plant immunity were identified. The plant immunity-related genes were more activated under high grazing treatment, while more genes related to regeneration were expressed under light grazing treatment. These results suggest that M. sativa exhibits different strategies to increase resilience and stress resistance under various grazing intensities. Our findings provide important clues and further research directions for understanding the molecular mechanisms of plant responses to grazing. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Stress Physiology and Molecular Biology—2nd Edition)
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20 pages, 3202 KiB  
Article
Comparative Physiological and Transcriptomic Analyses of Oat (Avena sativa) Seedlings under Salt Stress Reveal Salt Tolerance Mechanisms
by Xiangrui Zhou, Miaomiao Wang, Li Yang, Wenping Wang, Yuehua Zhang, Linbo Liu, Jikuan Chai, Huan Liu and Guiqin Zhao
Plants 2024, 13(16), 2238; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13162238 - 12 Aug 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1000
Abstract
Soil salinity is a major abiotic stress limiting crop production globally. Oat (Avena sativa) is an annual cereal with a strong salt tolerance, a high yield, and nutritional quality, although the mechanisms underlying its salt stress response remain largely unknown. We [...] Read more.
Soil salinity is a major abiotic stress limiting crop production globally. Oat (Avena sativa) is an annual cereal with a strong salt tolerance, a high yield, and nutritional quality, although the mechanisms underlying its salt stress response remain largely unknown. We examined the physiological and transcriptomic responses of A. sativa seedlings to salt stress in tolerant cultivar Qingyongjiu 195 and sensitive cultivar 709. Under salt stress, Qingyongjiu 195 maintained a higher photosynthetic efficiency, antioxidant enzymes activity, and leaf K+ accumulation but a lower Na+ uptake than 709. RNA-seq revealed 6616 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), including 4265 up- and 2351 downregulated. These were enriched in pathways like plant–pathogen interaction, phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, and MAPK signaling. We specifically highlight DEGs involved in photosynthesis (chlG, CP47 psbB, COX2, LHCB) and antioxidants (trxA, GroES). Qingyongjiu 195 also appeared to enhance K+ uptake via KAT1 and AKT2 and sequester Na+ in vacuoles via NHX2. Additionally, HKT restricted Na+ while promoting K+ transport to shoots, maintaining K+/Na+. The expression levels of CAX, ACA, CML, CaM, and CDPK in Qingyongjiu 195 were higher than those in 709. Oats regulated Ca2+ concentration through CAX and ACA after salt stress, decoded Ca2+ signals through CML, and then transferred Ca2+ signals to downstream receptors through the Ca2+ sensors CaM and CDPK, thereby activating K+/Na+ transporters, such as SOS1 and NHX, etc. Our results shed light on plant salt stress response mechanisms and provide transcriptomic resources for molecular breeding in improving salt tolerance in oats. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Stress Physiology and Molecular Biology—2nd Edition)
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15 pages, 4305 KiB  
Article
Appropriate Drought Training Induces Optimal Drought Tolerance by Inducing Stepwise H2O2 Homeostasis in Soybean
by Yuqian Shen, Lei Li, Peng Du, Xinghua Xing, Zhiwei Gu, Zhiming Yu, Yujia Tao and Haidong Jiang
Plants 2024, 13(9), 1202; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13091202 - 25 Apr 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1184
Abstract
Soybean is considered one of the most drought-sensitive crops, and ROS homeostasis can regulate drought tolerance in these plants. Understanding the mechanism of H2O2 homeostasis and its regulatory effect on drought stress is important for improving drought tolerance in soybean. [...] Read more.
Soybean is considered one of the most drought-sensitive crops, and ROS homeostasis can regulate drought tolerance in these plants. Understanding the mechanism of H2O2 homeostasis and its regulatory effect on drought stress is important for improving drought tolerance in soybean. We used different concentrations of polyethylene glycol (PEG) solutions to simulate the progression from weak drought stress (0.2%, 0.5%, and 1% PEG) to strong drought stress (5% PEG). We investigated the responses of the soybean plant phenotype, ROS level, injury severity, antioxidant system, etc., to different weak drought stresses and subsequent strong drought stresses. The results show that drought-treated plants accumulated H2O2 for signaling and exhibited drought tolerance under the following stronger drought stress, among which the 0.5% PEG treatment had the greatest effect. Under the optimal treatment, there was qualitatively describable H2O2 homeostasis, characterized by a consistent increasing amplitude in H2O2 content compared with CK. The H2O2 signal formed under the optimum treatment induced the capacity of the antioxidant system to remove excess H2O2 to form a primary H2O2 homeostasis. The primary H2O2 homeostasis further induced senior H2O2 homeostasis under the following strong drought and maximized the improvement of drought tolerance. These findings might suggest that gradual drought training could result in stepwise H2O2 homeostasis to continuously improve drought tolerance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Stress Physiology and Molecular Biology—2nd Edition)
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15 pages, 2222 KiB  
Article
Unravelling the Mechanisms of Heavy Metal Tolerance: Enhancement in Hydrophilic Antioxidants and Major Antioxidant Enzymes Is Not Crucial for Long-Term Adaptation to Copper in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii
by Julia Dziuba and Beatrycze Nowicka
Plants 2024, 13(7), 999; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13070999 - 30 Mar 2024
Viewed by 1088
Abstract
Understanding of the mechanisms of heavy metal tolerance in algae is important for obtaining strains that can be applied in wastewater treatment. Cu is a redox-active metal directly inducing oxidative stress in exposed cells. The Cu-tolerant Chlamydomonas reinhardtii strain Cu2, obtained via long-term [...] Read more.
Understanding of the mechanisms of heavy metal tolerance in algae is important for obtaining strains that can be applied in wastewater treatment. Cu is a redox-active metal directly inducing oxidative stress in exposed cells. The Cu-tolerant Chlamydomonas reinhardtii strain Cu2, obtained via long-term adaptation, displayed increased guaiacol peroxidase activity and contained more lipophilic antioxidants, i.e., α-tocopherol and plastoquinol, than did non-tolerant strain N1. In the present article, we measured oxidative stress markers; the content of ascorbate, soluble thiols, and proline; and the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) in N1 and Cu2 strains grown in the absence or presence of excessive Cu. The Cu2 strain displayed less pronounced lipid peroxidation and increased APX activity compared to N1. The amount of antioxidants was similar in both strains, while SOD and CAT activity was lower in the Cu2 strain. Exposure to excessive Cu led to a similar increase in proline content in both strains and a decrease in ascorbate and thiols, which was more pronounced in the N1 strain. The Cu2 strain was less tolerant to another redox-active heavy metal, namely chromium. Apparently other mechanisms, probably connected to Cu transport, partitioning, and chelation, are more important for Cu tolerance in Cu2 strain. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Stress Physiology and Molecular Biology—2nd Edition)
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17 pages, 3639 KiB  
Article
Decreased Photosynthetic Efficiency in Nicotiana tabacum L. under Transient Heat Stress
by Renan Falcioni, Marcelo Luiz Chicati, Roney Berti de Oliveira, Werner Camargos Antunes, Mirza Hasanuzzaman, José A. M. Demattê and Marcos Rafael Nanni
Plants 2024, 13(3), 395; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13030395 - 29 Jan 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1883
Abstract
Heat stress is an abiotic factor that affects the photosynthetic parameters of plants. In this study, we examined the photosynthetic mechanisms underlying the rapid response of tobacco plants to heat stress in a controlled environment. To evaluate transient heat stress conditions, changes in [...] Read more.
Heat stress is an abiotic factor that affects the photosynthetic parameters of plants. In this study, we examined the photosynthetic mechanisms underlying the rapid response of tobacco plants to heat stress in a controlled environment. To evaluate transient heat stress conditions, changes in photochemical, carboxylative, and fluorescence efficiencies were measured using an infrared gas analyser (IRGA Licor 6800) coupled with chlorophyll a fluorescence measurements. Our findings indicated that significant disruptions in the photosynthetic machinery occurred at 45 °C for 6 h following transient heat treatment, as explained by 76.2% in the principal component analysis. The photosynthetic mechanism analysis revealed that the dark respiration rate (Rd and Rd*CO2) increased, indicating a reduced potential for carbon fixation during plant growth and development. When the light compensation point (LCP) increased as the light saturation point (LSP) decreased, this indicated potential damage to the photosystem membrane of the thylakoids. Other photosynthetic parameters, such as AMAX, VCMAX, JMAX, and ΦCO2, also decreased, compromising both photochemical and carboxylative efficiencies in the Calvin–Benson cycle. The energy dissipation mechanism, as indicated by the NPQ, qN, and thermal values, suggested that a photoprotective strategy may have been employed. However, the observed transitory damage was a result of disruption of the electron transport rate (ETR) between the PSII and PSI photosystems, which was initially caused by high temperatures. Our study highlights the impact of rapid temperature changes on plant physiology and the potential acclimatisation mechanisms under rapid heat stress. Future research should focus on exploring the adaptive mechanisms involved in distinguishing mutants to improve crop resilience against environmental stressors. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Stress Physiology and Molecular Biology—2nd Edition)
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17 pages, 3910 KiB  
Article
Physiochemical Responses and Ecological Adaptations of Peach to Low-Temperature Stress: Assessing the Cold Resistance of Local Peach Varieties from Gansu, China
by Ruxuan Niu, Xiumei Zhao, Chenbing Wang and Falin Wang
Plants 2023, 12(24), 4183; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12244183 - 16 Dec 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1515
Abstract
In recent years, extreme weather events have become increasingly frequent, and low winter temperatures have had a significant impact on peach cultivation. The selection of cold-resistant peach varieties is an effective solution to mitigate freezing damage. To comprehensively and accurately evaluate the cold [...] Read more.
In recent years, extreme weather events have become increasingly frequent, and low winter temperatures have had a significant impact on peach cultivation. The selection of cold-resistant peach varieties is an effective solution to mitigate freezing damage. To comprehensively and accurately evaluate the cold resistance of peaches and screen for high cold resistance among Gansu local resources, nine different types of peach were selected as test resources to assess physiological, biochemical, and anatomical indices. Subsequently, 28 peach germplasms were evaluated using relevant indices. The semi-lethal temperature (LT50) was calculated by fitting the change curve of the electrolyte leakage index (ELI) with the Logistic equation; this can be used as an important index for identifying and evaluating the cold resistance of peach trees. The LT50 values ranged from −28.22 °C to −17.22 °C among the 28 tested resources; Dingjiaba Liguang Tao exhibited the lowest LT50 value at −28.22 °C, indicating its high level of cold resistance. The LT50 was positively correlated with the ELI and malondialdehyde (MDA) content with correlation coefficients of 0.894 and 0.863, respectively, while it was negatively correlated with the soluble sugar (SS), soluble protein (SP), and free proline (Pro) contents with correlation coefficients of −0.894, −0.721, and −0.863, respectively. The thicknesses of the xylem, cork layer, cork layer ratio (CLR) and thickness/cortex thickness (X/C) showed negative correlations (−0.694, −0.741, −0.822, −0.814, respectively). Finally, the membership function method was used to evaluate cold resistance based on the ELI, MDA, Pro, SP, SS, CLR, and xylem thickness/cortex thickness (X/C) indices. The average membership degree among all tested resources ranged from 0.17 to 0.61. Dingjiaba Liguang Tao emerged prominently in terms of high-cold-resistance (HR) membership value (0.61). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Stress Physiology and Molecular Biology—2nd Edition)
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