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Molecular Basis of Crops and Fruit Plants in Response to Stress

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 July 2023) | Viewed by 26972

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Prof. Dr. José Hélio Costa

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1. Functional Genomics and Bioinformatics, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Federal University of Ceara, Fortaleza, Ceara 60451-970, Brazil
2. Non-Institutional Competence Focus (NICFocus) ‘Functional Cell Reprogramming and Organism Plasticity’ (FunCROP), coordinated from Foros de Vale de Figueira, Alentejo, Portugal
Interests: genetics; plant molecular biology; identification of potential genes for biotechnological application; molecular basis associated with biochemical; physiological responses of plants under stress
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Dr. Rafael de Souza Miranda

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Post-Graduate Program in Agricultural Sciences, Department of Plant Science, Agricultural Sciences Center, Federal University of Piaui, Teresina 64.049-550, Piauí, Brazil
Interests: specialist in plant science, especially in abiotic stress, his research aims to elucidate the physiology, biochemistry and molecular mechanisms underlying salinity tolerance and drought tolerance in plants; making efforts to identify key mechanisms that could be manipulated to modify crop responses to abiotic stresses, focusing on both improved agriculture productivity and decreased degradation of soils
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Dear Colleagues,

Nowadays, a key challenge for the agriculture sector is feeding the increasing global population persistently facing food insecurity due to numerous biotic and abiotic environmental factors affecting crops and fruit plants. Searching for novel strategies to make plants more resistant to environmental changes and recalcitrant soils is a continuous activity of plant breeders. An important step for the development of a tolerant crop includes knowing the molecular basis of cultivars and genotypes from different plant species in response to stressors. Therefore, high-quality papers covering different aspects of DNA, RNA, proteins, and metabolites associated with biochemical and physiological responses to stress resistance/tolerance are welcome.

Prof. Dr. José Hélio Hélio Costa
Prof. Dr. Rafael de Souza Miranda
Guest Editors

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Keywords

abiotic stresses
drought
oxidative stress
salt stress
stress resistance/tolerance
heat and cold stresses
UV stress
biotic stresses
pathogen attack

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Published Papers (12 papers)

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Editorial

Jump to: Research, Review

5 pages, 223 KiB

Open AccessEditorial

Molecular Basis of Crops and Fruit Plants in Response to Stress

by Jose Helio Costa and Rafael de Souza Miranda

Plants 2023, 12(22), 3813; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12223813 - 9 Nov 2023

Viewed by 1128

Abstract

This editorial summarizes the main scientific contributions from 11 papers comprising the Special Issue (SI) “Molecular Basis of Crops and Fruit Plants in Response to Stress”. Here, we collected papers from different research groups encompassing molecular studies from monocots (ginger, rice, maize) and eudicots (common hazel, cowpea, pepper, soybean, tomato) species submitted to abiotic stresses as heat, cold, salt, drought, and heavy metals or biotic stresses induced by different viruses, such as BPEV, PepGMV, PMMoV, and TEV. These studies explored different aspects of molecular mechanisms involved in plant stress tolerance, establishing comparative analyses among genotypes/cultivars to identify potential molecular markers of stresses that are now available for future application in biotechnological studies. This SI presents a collection of advanced concepts and emerging strategies for readers and researchers aiming to accelerate plant breeding. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Basis of Crops and Fruit Plants in Response to Stress)

Research

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28 pages, 5151 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Genome and Transcriptome Analyses of Genes Involved in Ascorbate Biosynthesis in Pepper Indicate Key Genes Related to Fruit Development, Stresses, and Phytohormone Exposures

by Évelyn Silva de Aguiar, Abigailde Nascimento Dias, Raquel Mendes Sousa, Thais Andrade Germano, Renato Oliveira de Sousa, Rafael de Souza Miranda, José Hélio Costa and Clesivan Pereira dos Santos

Plants 2023, 12(19), 3367; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12193367 - 23 Sep 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1515

Abstract

Pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) is a vegetable consumed worldwide, primarily used for vitamin C uptake and condiment purposes. Ascorbate (Asc) is a multifunctional metabolite, acting as an antioxidant and enzymatic cofactor involved in multiple cellular processes. Nevertheless, there is no evidence about the contribution of biosynthesis pathways and regulatory mechanisms responsible for Asc reserves in pepper plants. Here, we present a genome- and transcriptome-wide investigation of genes responsible for Asc biosynthesis in pepper during fruit development, stresses, and phytohormone exposures. A total of 21 genes, scattered in ten of twelve pepper chromosomes were annotated. Gene expression analyses of nine transcriptomic experiments supported the primary role of the L-galactose pathway in the Asc-biosynthesizing process, given its constitutive, ubiquitous, and high expression profile observed in all studied conditions. However, genes from alternative pathways generally exhibited low expression or were unexpressed and appeared to play some secondary role under specific stress conditions and phytohormone treatments. Taken together, our findings provide a deeper spatio-temporal understanding of expression levels of genes involved in Asc biosynthesis, and they highlight GGP2, GME1 and 2, and GalLDH members from L-galactose pathway as promising candidates for future wet experimentation, addressing the attainment of increase in ascorbate content of peppers and other crops. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Basis of Crops and Fruit Plants in Response to Stress)

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20 pages, 2757 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Selection of Soybean and Cowpea Cultivars with Superior Performance under Drought Using Growth and Biochemical Aspects

by Rafael de Souza Miranda, Bruno Sousa Figueiredo da Fonseca, Davielson Silva Pinho, Jennyfer Yara Nunes Batista, Ramilos Rodrigues de Brito, Everaldo Moreira da Silva, Wesley Santos Ferreira, José Hélio Costa, Marcos dos Santos Lopes, Renan Henrique Beserra de Sousa, Larissa Fonseca Neves, José Antônio Freitas Penha, Amanda Soares Santos, Juliana Joice Pereira Lima, Stelamaris de Oliveira Paula-Marinho, Francisco de Alcântara Neto, Évelyn Silva de Aguiar, Clesivan Pereira dos Santos and Enéas Gomes-Filho

Plants 2023, 12(17), 3134; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12173134 - 31 Aug 2023

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1877

Abstract

Identifying cultivars of leguminous crops exhibiting drought resistance has become crucial in addressing water scarcity issues. This investigative study aimed to select soybean and cowpea cultivars with enhanced potential to grow under water restriction during the vegetative stage. Two parallel trials were conducted using seven soybean (AS3810IPRO, M8644IPRO, TMG1180RR, NS 8338IPRO, BMX81I81IPRO, M8808IPRO, and BÔNUS8579IPRO) and cowpea cultivars (Aracê, Novaera, Pajeú, Pitiúba, Tumucumaque, TVU, and Xique-xique) under four water levels (75, 60, 45, and 30% field capacity—FC) over 21 days. Growth, water content, membrane damage, photosynthetic pigments, organic compounds, and proline levels were analyzed. Drought stress significantly impacted the growth of both crops, particularly at 45 and 30% FC for soybean and 60 and 45% FC for cowpea plants. The BÔNUS8579IPRO and TMG1180RR soybean cultivars demonstrated the highest performance under drought, a response attributed to increased amino acids and proline contents, which likely help to mitigate membrane damage. For cowpea, the superior performance of the drought-stressed Xique-xique cultivar was associated with the maintenance of water content and elevated photosynthetic pigments, which contributed to the preservation of the photosynthetic efficiency and carbohydrate levels. Our findings clearly indicate promising leguminous cultivars that grow under water restriction, serving as viable alternatives for cultivating in water-limited environments. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Basis of Crops and Fruit Plants in Response to Stress)

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18 pages, 3825 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Exploring the Heat Shock Transcription Factor (HSF) Gene Family in Ginger: A Genome-Wide Investigation on Evolution, Expression Profiling, and Response to Developmental and Abiotic Stresses

by Dongzhu Jiang, Maoqin Xia, Haitao Xing, Min Gong, Yajun Jiang, Huanfang Liu and Hong-Lei Li

Plants 2023, 12(16), 2999; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12162999 - 20 Aug 2023

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2031

Abstract

Ginger is a valuable crop known for its nutritional, seasoning, and health benefits. However, abiotic stresses, such as high temperature and drought, can adversely affect its growth and development. Heat shock transcription factors (HSFs) have been recognized as crucial elements for enhancing heat and drought resistance in plants. Nevertheless, no previous study has investigated the HSF gene family in ginger. In this research, a total of 25 ZoHSF members were identified in the ginger genome, which were unevenly distributed across ten chromosomes. The ZoHSF members were divided into three groups (HSFA, HSFB, and HSFC) based on their gene structure, protein motifs, and phylogenetic relationships with Arabidopsis. Interestingly, we found more collinear gene pairs between ZoHSF and HSF genes from monocots, such as rice, wheat, and banana, than dicots like Arabidopsis thaliana. Additionally, we identified 12 ZoHSF genes that likely arose from duplication events. Promoter analysis revealed that the hormone response elements (MEJA-responsiveness and abscisic acid responsiveness) were dominant among the various cis-elements related to the abiotic stress response in ZoHSF promoters. Expression pattern analysis confirmed differential expression of ZoHSF members across different tissues, with most showing responsiveness to heat and drought stress. This study lays the foundation for further investigations into the functional role of ZoHSFs in regulating abiotic stress responses in ginger. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Basis of Crops and Fruit Plants in Response to Stress)

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18 pages, 5938 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Analysis of the Tomato mTERF Gene Family and Study of the Stress Resistance Function of SLmTERF-13

by Ao Su, Siyu Ge, Boyan Zhou, Ziyu Wang, Liping Zhou, Ziwei Zhang, Xiaoyu Yan, Yu Wang, Dalong Li, He Zhang, Xiangyang Xu and Tingting Zhao

Plants 2023, 12(15), 2862; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12152862 - 3 Aug 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1573

Abstract

Mitochondrial transcription termination factor (mTERF) is a DNA-binding protein that is encoded by nuclear genes, ultimately functions in mitochondria and can affect gene expression. By combining with mitochondrial nucleic acids, mTERF regulates the replication, transcription and translation of mitochondrial genes and plays an important role in the response of plants to abiotic stress. However, there are few studies on mTERF genes in tomato, which limits the in-depth study and utilization of mTERF family genes in tomato stress resistance regulation. In this study, a total of 28 mTERF gene family members were obtained through genome-wide mining and identification of the tomato mTERF gene family. Bioinformatics analysis showed that all members of the family contained environmental stress or hormone response elements. Gene expression pattern analysis showed that the selected genes had different responses to drought, high salt and low temperature stress. Most of the genes played key roles under drought and salt stress, and the response patterns were more similar. The VIGS method was used to silence the SLmTERF13 gene, which was significantly upregulated under drought and salt stress, and it was found that the resistance ability of silenced plants was decreased under both kinds of stress, indicating that the SLmTERF13 gene was involved in the regulation of the tomato abiotic stress response. These results provide important insights for further evolutionary studies and contribute to a better understanding of the role of the mTERF genes in tomato growth and development and abiotic stress response, which will ultimately play a role in future studies of tomato gene function. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Basis of Crops and Fruit Plants in Response to Stress)

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12 pages, 1671 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Induced Systemic Resistance in the Bacillus spp.—Capsicum chinense Jacq.—PepGMV Interaction, Elicited by Defense-Related Gene Expression

by Blancka Yesenia Samaniego-Gámez, Raúl Enrique Valle-Gough, René Garruña-Hernández, Arturo Reyes-Ramírez, Luis Latournerie-Moreno, José María Tun-Suárez, Hernán de Jesús Villanueva-Alonzo, Fidel Nuñez-Ramírez, Lourdes Cervantes Diaz, Samuel Uriel Samaniego-Gámez, Yereni Minero-García, Cecilia Hernandez-Zepeda and Oscar A. Moreno-Valenzuela

Plants 2023, 12(11), 2069; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12112069 - 23 May 2023

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1790

Abstract

Induced systemic resistance (ISR) is a mechanism involved in the plant defense response against pathogens. Certain members of the Bacillus genus are able to promote the ISR by maintaining a healthy photosynthetic apparatus, which prepares the plant for future stress situations. The goal of the present study was to analyze the effect of the inoculation of Bacillus on the expression of genes involved in plant responses to pathogens, as a part of the ISR, during the interaction of Capsicum chinense infected with PepGMV. The effects of the inoculation of the Bacillus strains in pepper plants infected with PepGMV were evaluated by observing the accumulation of viral DNA and the visible symptoms of pepper plants during a time-course experiment in greenhouse and in in vitro experiments. The relative expression of the defense genes CcNPR1, CcPR10, and CcCOI1 were also evaluated. The results showed that the plants inoculated with Bacillus subtilis K47, Bacillus cereus K46, and Bacillus sp. M9 had a reduction in the PepGMV viral titer, and the symptoms in these plants were less severe compared to the plants infected with PepGMV and non-inoculated with Bacillus. Additionally, an increase in the transcript levels of CcNPR1, CcPR10, and CcCOI1 was observed in plants inoculated with Bacillus strains. Our results suggest that the inoculation of Bacillus strains interferes with the viral replication, through the increase in the transcription of pathogenesis-related genes, which is reflected in a lowered plant symptomatology and an improved yield in the greenhouse, regardless of PepGMV infection status. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Basis of Crops and Fruit Plants in Response to Stress)

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23 pages, 7132 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Macro and Micro-Nutrient Accumulation and Partitioning in Soybean Affected by Water and Nitrogen Supply

by Ingrid Silva Setubal, Aderson Soares de Andrade Júnior, Silvestre Paulino da Silva, Artenisa Cerqueira Rodrigues, Aurenívia Bonifácio, Evandro Henrique Figueiredo Moura da Silva, Paulo Fernando de Melo Jorge Vieira, Rafael de Souza Miranda, Nicolas Cafaro La Menza and Henrique Antunes de Souza

Plants 2023, 12(9), 1898; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12091898 - 6 May 2023

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2543

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the influence of water availability and nitrogen fertilization on plant growth, nutrient dynamics, and variables related to soybean crop yield. Trials were performed in Teresina, Piauí, Brazil, using randomized blocks in a split-split plot arrangement. The plots corresponded to water regimes (full and deficient), the split plots to N fertilization (0 and 1000 kg ha⁻¹ N-urea), and the split-split plots to harvest times of soybean plants (16, 23, 30, 37, 44, 58, 65, 79 and 86 days after emergence), with three replicates. In general, the accumulation and partitioning of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), sulphur (S), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), zinc (Zn) and boron (B) were decreased in plants subjected to water deficit and without N fertilization. Although nitrogen fertilization promoted elevated N accumulation in tissues, it did not result in any significant yield gain, and the highest seed yields were found in plants under full irrigation, regardless of N supplementation. However, deficient irrigation decreased the seed oil content of N-fertilized plants. In conclusion, N fertilization is critical for nutrient homeostasis, and water availability impairs biomass and nutrient accumulation, thereby limiting soybean yield performance. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Basis of Crops and Fruit Plants in Response to Stress)

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16 pages, 1727 KiB

Open AccessArticle

ZmDREB2.9 Gene in Maize (Zea mays L.): Genome-Wide Identification, Characterization, Expression, and Stress Response

by Mikhail A. Filyushin, Elena Z. Kochieva and Anna V. Shchennikova

Plants 2022, 11(22), 3060; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11223060 - 11 Nov 2022

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 2255

Abstract

Dehydration-responsive element-binding (DREB) transcription factors of the A2 subfamily play key roles in plant stress responses. In this study, we identified and characterized a new A2-type DREB gene, ZmDREB2.9, in the Zea mays cv. B73 genome and compared its expression profile with those of the known A2-type maize genes ZmDREB2.1–2.8. ZmDREB2.9 was mapped to chromosome 8, contained 18 predicted hormone- and stress-responsive cis-elements in the promoter, and had two splice isoforms: short ZmDREB2.9-S preferentially expressed in the leaves, embryos, and endosperm and long ZmDREB2.9-L expressed mostly in the male flowers, stamens, and ovaries. Phylogenetically, ZmDREB2.9 was closer to A. thaliana DREB2A than the other ZmDREB2 factors. ZmDREB2.9-S, ZmDREB2.2, and ZmDREB2.1/2A were upregulated in response to cold, drought, and abscisic acid and may play redundant roles in maize stress resistance. ZmDREB2.3, ZmDREB2.4, and ZmDREB2.6 were not expressed in seedlings and could be pseudogenes. ZmDREB2.7 and ZmDREB2.8 showed similar transcript accumulation in response to cold and abscisic acid and could be functionally redundant. Our results provide new data on Z. mays DREB2 factors, which can be used for further functional studies as well as in breeding programs to improve maize stress tolerance. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Basis of Crops and Fruit Plants in Response to Stress)

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15 pages, 1440 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Effects of the Cultivar and Environment on the Phenolic Contents of Hazelnut Kernels

by Anita Solar, Aljaz Medic, Ana Slatnar, Maja Mikulic-Petkovsek, Roberto Botta, Mercè Rovira, Jean-Paul Sarraquigne, Ana Paula Silva, Robert Veberic, Franci Stampar, Metka Hudina and Loretta Bacchetta

Plants 2022, 11(22), 3051; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11223051 - 11 Nov 2022

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 1673

Abstract

Different climatic conditions are known to affect the synthesis of primary and secondary metabolites. Therefore, the phenolic contents in new growing areas could affect the quality and flavor of hazelnuts. The aim of this study was to determine the variability of the phenolic contents of the kernels in different commercial hazelnut cultivars depending on their growing area. Five cultivars (‘Tonda Gentile delle Langhe’, ‘Merveille de Bollwiller’, ‘Pauetet’, ‘Tonda di Giffoni’, and ‘Barcelona’ (syn. ‘Fertile de Coutard’)) grown in different European collection orchards were included in the study. High-performance liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry was used to identify and quantify the phenolic compounds. Thirteen phenols were identified in the hazelnut kernels, including 7 flavanols, 2 hydroxybenzoic acids, 3 flavonols, and one dihydrochalcone. Catechin and procyanidin dimers were the main phenolic compounds found in the hazelnut kernels. The highest contents of catechin and total flavanols were determined in cultivars cultivated in Spain and northern Italy, and the lowest in Slovenia and France. Flavanols were the major phenolic groups independent of the place of cultivation, as they accounted for more than 50% of all phenolic compounds identified. The flavanols were followed by hydroxybenzoic acids, flavonols, and dihydrochalcones. Higher contents of flavanols and flavonols were found in kernels from areas characterized by higher natural irradiation, which stimulates their accumulation. The contents of hydroxybenzoic acids correlated with altitude, which stimulated phenolic acid synthesis. A negative correlation was observed between the dihydrochalcone content and annual rainfall, probably due to hydric stress. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Basis of Crops and Fruit Plants in Response to Stress)

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16 pages, 1178 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Transcriptome Analyses in a Selected Gene Set Indicate Alternative Oxidase (AOX) and Early Enhanced Fermentation as Critical for Salinity Tolerance in Rice

by Shahid Aziz, Thais Andrade Germano, Karine Leitão Lima Thiers, Mathias Coelho Batista, Rafael de Souza Miranda, Birgit Arnholdt-Schmitt and Jose Helio Costa

Plants 2022, 11(16), 2145; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11162145 - 18 Aug 2022

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 2294

Abstract

Plants subjected to stress need to respond rapidly and efficiently to acclimatize and survive. In this paper, we investigated a selected gene set potentially involved in early cell reprogramming in two rice genotypes with contrasting salinity tolerance (Pokkali tolerant and IR29 susceptible) in order to advance knowledge of early molecular mechanisms of rice in dealing with salt stress. Selected genes were evaluated in available transcriptomic data over a short period of 24 h and involved enzymes that avoid ROS formation (AOX, UCP and PTOX), impact ATP production (PFK, ADH and COX) or relate to the antioxidant system. Higher transcript accumulation of AOX (ROS balancing), PFK and ADH (alcohol fermentation) was detected in the tolerant genotype, while the sensitive genotype revealed higher UCP and PTOX transcript levels, indicating a predominant role for early transcription of AOX and fermentation in conferring salt stress tolerance to rice. Antioxidant gene analyses supported higher oxidative stress in IR29, with transcript increases of cytosolic CAT and SOD from all cell compartments (cytoplasm, peroxisome, chloroplast and mitochondria). In contrast, Pokkali increased mRNA levels from the AsA-GSH cycle as cytosolic/mitochondrial DHAR was involved in ascorbate recovery. In addition, these responses occurred from 2 h in IR29 and 10 h in Pokkali, indicating early but ineffective antioxidant activity in the susceptible genotype. Overall, our data suggest that AOX and ADH can play a critical role during early cell reprogramming for improving salt stress tolerance by efficiently controlling ROS formation in mitochondria. We discuss our results in relation to gene engineering and editing approaches to develop salinity-tolerant crops. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Basis of Crops and Fruit Plants in Response to Stress)

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28 pages, 5346 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Alleviation of Cadmium and Nickel Toxicity and Phyto-Stimulation of Tomato Plant L. by Endophytic Micrococcus luteus and Enterobacter cloacae

by Ibrahim H. Badawy, Ahmed A. Hmed, Mahmoud R. Sofy and Alshymaa Z. Al-Mokadem

Plants 2022, 11(15), 2018; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11152018 - 3 Aug 2022

Cited by 41 | Viewed by 4365

Abstract

Cadmium (Cd) and nickel (Ni) are two of the most toxic metals, wreaking havoc on human health and agricultural output. Furthermore, high levels of Cd and Ni in the soil environment, particularly in the root zone, may slow plant development, resulting in lower plant biomass. On the other hand, endophytic bacteria offer great promise for reducing Cd and Ni. Moreover, they boost plants’ resistance to heavy metal stress. Different bacterium strains were isolated from tomato roots. These isolates were identified as Micrococcus luteus and Enterobacter cloacae using 16SrDNA and were utilized to investigate their involvement in mitigating the detrimental effects of heavy metal stress. The two bacterial strains can solubilize phosphorus and create phytohormones as well as siderophores. Therefore, the objective of this study was to see how endophytic bacteria (Micrococcus luteus and Enterobactercloacae) affected the mitigation of stress from Cd and Ni in tomato plants grown in 50 μM Cd or Ni-contaminated soil. According to the findings, Cd and Ni considerably lowered growth, biomass, chlorophyll (Chl) content, and photosynthetic properties. Furthermore, the content of proline, phenol, malondialdehyde (MDA), H₂O₂, OH, O₂, the antioxidant defense system, and heavy metal (HM) contents were significantly raised under HM-stress conditions. However, endophytic bacteria greatly improved the resistance of tomato plants to HM stress by boosting enzymatic antioxidant defenses (i.e., catalase, peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione reductase, ascorbate peroxidase, lipoxygenase activity, and nitrate reductase), antioxidant, non-enzymatic defenses, and osmolyte substances such as proline, mineral content, and specific regulatory defense genes. Moreover, the plants treated had a higher value for bioconcentration factor (BCF) and translocation factor (TF) due to more extensive loss of Cd and Ni content from the soil. To summarize, the promotion of endophytic bacterium-induced HM resistance in tomato plants is essentially dependent on the influence of endophytic bacteria on antioxidant capacity and osmoregulation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Basis of Crops and Fruit Plants in Response to Stress)

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Review

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16 pages, 1034 KiB

Open AccessReview

Research Progress on the Mechanism of Salt Tolerance in Maize: A Classic Field That Needs New Efforts

by Jiawei Li, Qinglin Zhu, Fuchao Jiao, Zhenwei Yan, Haiyan Zhang, Yumei Zhang, Zhaohua Ding, Chunhua Mu, Xia Liu, Yan Li, Jingtang Chen and Ming Wang

Plants 2023, 12(12), 2356; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12122356 - 18 Jun 2023

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2758

Abstract

Maize is the most important cereal crop globally. However, in recent years, maize production faced numerous challenges from environmental factors due to the changing climate. Salt stress is among the major environmental factors that negatively impact crop productivity worldwide. To cope with salt stress, plants developed various strategies, such as producing osmolytes, increasing antioxidant enzyme activity, maintaining reactive oxygen species homeostasis, and regulating ion transport. This review provides an overview of the intricate relationships between salt stress and several plant defense mechanisms, including osmolytes, antioxidant enzymes, reactive oxygen species, plant hormones, and ions (Na⁺, K⁺, Cl⁻), which are critical for salt tolerance in maize. It addresses the regulatory strategies and key factors involved in salt tolerance, aiming to foster a comprehensive understanding of the salt tolerance regulatory networks in maize. These new insights will also pave the way for further investigations into the significance of these regulations in elucidating how maize coordinates its defense system to resist salt stress. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Basis of Crops and Fruit Plants in Response to Stress)

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