Dear Colleagues,

Plants can sense the environmental conditions they are exposed to during their growth and development and consequently generate acclimation responses. Many species show high phenotypic plasticity; that is, according to the ambience changes, they are capable of expressing variations in anatomy, morphology, physiology and biochemistry that allow them to cope with the changing situation. As a result, they are distributed and/or may be cultivated across a broad range of locations. These responses involve variations in primary and secondary metabolites that accumulate within plant tissues, such as leaves and fruits, subsequently influencing both the chemical and sensory attributes of harvest products. In some extreme environments influenced by factors determined by the cultivation site, such as high ultraviolet-B radiation at high altitudes or environmental dryness and high temperatures (due to global warming), plants can experience stress levels where their defense mechanisms may be overloaded. This can lead to observed repair responses or oxidative damage effects. Such environmental factors are diverse, act in combination and include, for instance, scarcity in soil water availability, air dryness, strong winds, extreme temperatures and high solar radiation. This Special Issue aims to gather research papers focusing on the acclimation mechanisms of various plants to a range of abiotic stressful factors related to the expansion of cultivation sites and potential scenarios of global warming. This includes aspects of hormonal signaling and regulation, as well as epigenetic and molecular factors, and even the possibility of gene editing to “design” plants more adaptable to changing and extreme environments. Furthermore, the goal is to incorporate papers that relate these physiological effects to the vegetative growth, fruit yield, and the profiles of primary and secondary metabolites, thus influencing the alimentary attributes of consumable parts.

Dr. Federico J. Berli
Dr. Rubén Bottini
Dr. Patricia Piccoli
Guest Editors

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• acclimation mechanisms
• adaptation to climate change
• phenotypic plasticity
• plant signaling
• secondary metabolites
• stress defense