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Forests
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Strategies for Tree Improvement under Stress Conditions — 2nd Edition
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Strategies for Tree Improvement under Stress Conditions — 2nd Edition

A special issue of Forests (ISSN 1999-4907). This special issue belongs to the section "Forest Ecology and Management".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2024 | Viewed by 2976

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Jie Luo

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Horticulture & Forestry Sciences, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
Interests: nitrogen use efficiency; transcriptome; woody plant; abiotic stress
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Wentao Hu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Forestry and Landscape Architecture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
Interests: mycorrhizal symbiosis; forest tree stress biology; mycorrhizal fungal fruiting body cultivation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Perennial woody plants are usually faced with multifactorial adverse conditions during their long lifespan, which impairs their growth and productivity. To cope with these adverse conditions, trees deploy morphological, physiological, and molecular responses to adapt to the environmental constraints. By using high-throughput sequencing and bioinformatic approaches, many hub genes involved in stress responses were identified. In recent years, with the advantages of transgenic technology in woody plants, many candidate genes participating in stress responses were functionally characterized and showed great potential for tree improvement under different stresses. On the other hand, cultivation strategies (including beneficial microorganism investigation, beneficial microorganism inoculation, mixed forest, etc.) also play crucial roles in tree improvement under abiotic and biotic stress.

This Special Issue focuses on the strategies for tree improvement under stress conditions; all original research findings and perspectives relative to tree improvement in coping with environmental constraints are welcomed.

Dr. Jie Luo
Dr. Wentao Hu
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. Forests is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly 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 2600 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

  • forest tree
  • bioinformation
  • gene expression
  • cultivation strategy
  • transgenic technology
  • beneficial microorganism
  • stress

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

18 pages, 12786 KiB  
Article
Genome-Wide Identification and Expression of the AP2/ERF Gene Family in Morus notabilis
by Hao Dou, Tiantian Wang, Xin Zhou, Xi Feng, Wu Tang, Jin’e Quan and Huitao Bi
Forests 2024, 15(4), 697; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15040697 - 13 Apr 2024
Viewed by 399
Abstract
The AP2/ERF gene family, referring to an exclusive class of transcription factors unique to plants, is involved in various biological processes, including plant growth and responses to environmental stresses like high salt and drought. In this study, the AP2/ERF gene in M. notabilis [...] Read more.
The AP2/ERF gene family, referring to an exclusive class of transcription factors unique to plants, is involved in various biological processes, including plant growth and responses to environmental stresses like high salt and drought. In this study, the AP2/ERF gene in M. notabilis was comprehensively identified and bioinformatically analyzed based on the genomic data of M. notabilis. 106 members in the MnAP2/ERF gene family were identified in the M. notabilis genome and were categorized into five subfamilies: ERF, AP2, DREB, RAV, and Soloist, with the ERF subfamily representing 80.19% of the total. The MnAP2/ERF gene family was observed to be distributed on six chromosomes of M. notabilis. Members in the MnAP2/ERF gene family exhibited obvious differences in amino acid number, molecular weight, isoelectric point, and other properties. Approximately 68.87% of the MnAP2/ERF proteins were acidic, all exhibiting hydrophilic characteristics. Differences in conserved sequences and arrangement of AP2 domains were observed among distinct subfamilies, with genes in the same subfamily sharing similar conserved domain compositions. There were 47 genes without untranslated regions and 44 genes with two untranslated regions. The upstream functions of promoters were concentrated on light reactions and plant hormones. Evolutionarily, significant structural differences were identified, and 28 MnAP2/ERF gene family proteins could interact with each other. Moreover, 35 family genes were involved in 22 fragment repeat events, and 55 MnAP2/ERF and 84 AtAP2/ERF genes showed collinearity. The expression of the MnAP2/ERF gene family was significantly different in different parts, indicating that these gene family members were involved in different physiological activities. These results established a theoretical foundation for investigating the functional and evolutionary aspects of AP2/ERF gene family genes in M. notabilis, as well as exploring the root morphogenesis of M. notabilis. Additionally, this study contributes to a basis for the improvement of cultivar stress resistance of M. notabilis. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Strategies for Tree Improvement under Stress Conditions — 2nd Edition)
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13 pages, 5509 KiB  
Article
In Situ Rainwater Harvesting System Slows Forest Decline through Increasing Soil Water Content, Fine-Root Traits, and Plant Hydraulic Conductivity
by Changkun Ma, Wanyu Yang, Beibei Zhou, Quanjiu Wang and Mingan Shao
Forests 2024, 15(3), 571; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15030571 - 21 Mar 2024
Viewed by 586
Abstract
Large-scale vegetation restoration campaigns have been implemented on the Chinese Loess Plateau, which have resulted in higher soil moisture deficits in this region. This, in turn, has hampered the healthy growth of planted trees, leading to a decline and, in severe cases, mortality [...] Read more.
Large-scale vegetation restoration campaigns have been implemented on the Chinese Loess Plateau, which have resulted in higher soil moisture deficits in this region. This, in turn, has hampered the healthy growth of planted trees, leading to a decline and, in severe cases, mortality of trees. Therefore, the rational regulation and utilization of rainwater, the primary water source in this region, may alleviate drought stress, ensuring the sustainability of the ecosystem. In this study, we investigated the impact of in situ rainwater collection and infiltration systems (IRCISs) on soil water, fine-root distribution, xylem vascular, and hydraulic conductivity characteristics in declining Robinia pseudoacacia forests. The results demonstrated that the application of an IRCIS can effectively increase plant available moisture content (0–5.0 m) of declining Robinia pseudoacacia forests. In particular, IRCIS treatment significantly increased xylem conduit diameter and plant hydraulic conductivity while substantially reducing the percentage loss of hydraulic conductivity in both roots and branches. Furthermore, IRCIS treatment significantly reduced the root biomass and distribution depth of Robinia pseudoacacia during both wet and dry years. This implies that IRCISs are beneficial for plant growth and survival. The findings of this study are significant for devising strategic methodologies for the planning and management of rainwater resources. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Strategies for Tree Improvement under Stress Conditions — 2nd Edition)
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16 pages, 3434 KiB  
Article
Comparison of Xylem Anatomy and Hydraulic Properties in Black Locust Trees at Two Growth Stages in Semiarid China
by Changkun Ma, Xi Zhang, Qian Yao, Beibei Zhou, Quanjiu Wang and Mingan Shao
Forests 2024, 15(1), 116; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15010116 - 07 Jan 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 730
Abstract
Tree species transitioning between different developmental phases requires homeostatic adjustments in order to maintain the integrity of the tree hydraulic system. Hence, adjustments related to hydraulic traits (e.g., xylem conduit diameter) are of key functional significance. However, critical information on the differences between [...] Read more.
Tree species transitioning between different developmental phases requires homeostatic adjustments in order to maintain the integrity of the tree hydraulic system. Hence, adjustments related to hydraulic traits (e.g., xylem conduit diameter) are of key functional significance. However, critical information on the differences between different developmental stages is rare. Using sapwood samples from 36 black locust trees with different growth stages (actively growing and declining stages) and a soil water gradient along a hillslope, xylem conduits at stem apexes and breast height (1.3 m above ground) stems were measured. The results showed marked differences in vascular traits between actively growing and declining trees. In contrast to actively growing trees, declining trees exhibited a reduction in conduit diameters accompanied by increased frequency with a positively skewed distribution and a subsequent decline in cumulative theoretical hydraulic conductivity. Across all sampled trees, the hydraulically weighted mean conduit diameter tapered acropetally from breast height to the stem apex. The extent of conduit tapering in actively growing trees (0.244, 95% CI 0.201–0.287) aligned with predictions from the hydraulic optimality model. Conversely, trees in a declining status displayed significantly reduced conduit tapering (0.175, 95% CI 0.146–0.198), indicating an elevation in hydraulic resistance with increasing tree height. Variations in hydraulic properties predominantly resulted from differences in tree height rather than variations in stem diameter or soil water content. The correlation between conduit diameter and soil water content in both actively growing and declining trees stemmed indirectly from variations in tree height rather than presenting a direct response to drought stress. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Strategies for Tree Improvement under Stress Conditions — 2nd Edition)
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18 pages, 4345 KiB  
Article
Genome-Wide Analysis and Expression Profiling of YUCCA Gene Family in Developmental and Environmental Stress Conditions in Tea Plant (Camellia sinensis)
by Liping Zhang, Shan Jin, Peixian Bai, Shibei Ge, Peng Yan, Zhengzhen Li, Lan Zhang, Wenyan Han, Jianming Zeng and Xin Li
Forests 2023, 14(11), 2185; https://doi.org/10.3390/f14112185 - 02 Nov 2023
Viewed by 859
Abstract
The tea plant is a perennial leaf-used economical crop and cultivated all over the world. Indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) plays key roles in plant development and environmental stress. YUCCA (YUC) flavin monooxygenases are the rate-limiting enzymes of the TAA/YUC pathway, which is the most [...] Read more.
The tea plant is a perennial leaf-used economical crop and cultivated all over the world. Indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) plays key roles in plant development and environmental stress. YUCCA (YUC) flavin monooxygenases are the rate-limiting enzymes of the TAA/YUC pathway, which is the most important IAA biosynthetic pathway in plants. The YUC gene family in tea plants has not been systematically studied so far. A total of 17 CsYUC members were identified from a tea plant genome database and phylogenetically classified into three subfamilies. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the CsYUC gene family is evolutionarily conserved. The physical and chemical properties, gene structures, and conserved domains were analyzed. The expression profiles of CsYUCs were analyzed on the basis of open available RNA-seq data, as well as by RNA-seq and qRT-PCR assays. Combined with previous studies, it can be concluded that YUC10 may play key roles in seed development. The results also showed that CsYUC2.1 may play important roles in the coordinated regulation of the growth of leaf buds and flower buds induced by pruning. Low temperature markedly induced the expression of CsYUC2.2, -11.8, and -11.9. Furthermore, CsYUC genes that might play key roles in the specific development stages and involve enhancing the resistance to drought and NaCl stress were screened, respectively. This study could provide a research basis for deeply studying the gene functions of the CsYUC family in the tea plant. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Strategies for Tree Improvement under Stress Conditions — 2nd Edition)
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