Decoding Plant Genomes: Insights and Innovations

Dear Colleagues,

The primary aim of "Decoding Plant Genomes: Insights and Innovations" is to explore cutting-edge advancements in plant genomics and emphasize the roles these genetic insights play in understanding and enhancing plant resilience, development, and productivity. This collection aims to bridge the gap between genomic data and practical applications in agriculture and environmental sustainability, offering a comprehensive perspective on how genetic knowledge can drive innovation in crop improvement and stress adaptation.

The scope of this collection encompasses several key areas:

1. Abiotic and Biotic Stress Responses: Investigating the genetic basis of plant responses to various environmental stresses such as drought, salinity, temperature extremes, pathogens, and pests. This includes studies on stress-induced genetic modifications, expression patterns, and the role of epigenetic mechanisms in stress adaptation.
2. Plant Development and Growth: Delving into the genetic control of plant developmental processes, including germination, flowering, fruiting, and senescence. Contributions in this area might explore the regulatory networks and genetic pathways that govern these processes.
3. Crop Improvement Strategies: Highlighting the applications of genomic insights in breeding programs aimed at enhancing yield, quality, and environmental resilience. This includes traditional breeding methods informed by genomic data, as well as advanced techniques like CRISPR/Cas9, genomic selection, and other biotechnological approaches.
4. Genotype–Phenotype Plasticity: Understanding how genetic variation influences plant phenotypes under varying environmental conditions. This area focuses on the study of genetic diversity, adaptability, and the dynamic interactions between genotype and environment.
5. Case Studies and Applications: Real-world examples of how genomic analysis has led to significant improvements or discoveries in specific plant species, including major crops, ornamentals, and wild species.
6. Interdisciplinary Perspectives: Encouraging submissions that integrate knowledge from other disciplines, such as ecology, agronomy, climate science, and soil science, to provide a holistic view of plant genomics in the context of broader environmental and agricultural challenges.

This collection aims to serve as a comprehensive resource for researchers, agronomists, breeders, and policymakers. It seeks to foster interdisciplinary collaboration and innovation, ultimately contributing to sustainable agricultural practices, enhanced food security, and a deeper understanding of plant biology in the genomic era.

Dr. Viswanathan Satheesh
Dr. Rick E. Masonbrink
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. 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.

• genetic control
• plant genome
• stress responses
• epigenetics
• crop improvement
• genetic variation
• interactions between genotype and environment