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Physiological and Molecular Mechanisms of Plant Responses to Abiotic Stress...
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Physiological and Molecular Mechanisms of Plant Responses to Abiotic Stress II

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 March 2024) | Viewed by 5961

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Anelia Dobrikova

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Biophysics and Biomedical Engineering, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria
Interests: photosynthesis; photosynthetic membranes; abiotic stress factors; adaptation mechanisms of plants; pigments; exogenous application of protectants; signaling molecules; chlorophyll fluorescence; electron transport; oxygen evolution; heavy metals; phytoremediation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Michael Moustakas

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Botany, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
Interests: plant ecophysiology; biotic stress; abiotic stress; photosynthesis; antioxidative mechanisms; photoprotective mechanisms; mineral nutrition; ROS
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Abiotic stress is a major problem for agriculture, affecting the growth and productivity of plants. Environmental stress factors such as drought, salinity, low and high temperature, UV radiation, and high light are the main reasons behind the reduction in crop yields and food production worldwide. Therefore, the study of the physiological and molecular mechanisms of plant responses to abiotic stress alone or in combination, as well as the search for tolerant crop varieties, is one of the most active research fields in the plant biology. Efforts are focused on the study of morphological, physiological, biochemical, and molecular responses, as well as the mechanisms of plant protection against these stresses. As photosynthesis is the main driving force for plant growth and crop yields, many studies investigate the stress responses of the photosynthetic apparatus. Photosynthesis is also the primary physiological process affected by abiotic stresses in all its phases. Under most abiotic stresses, an increased production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) (1O2, O2• –, H2O2, OH•) occurs that can lead to oxidative stress. However, these oxidative signals that result from photosynthesis not only provide cells with tools to monitor electron transport and thus prevent over-reduction or over-oxidation but also produce redox regulatory networks that facilitate plants to sense and respond to abiotic stress conditions.

Under various stress factors, plants must adapt by adjusting their physiology mechanisms to these adverse conditions. All this requires a selection process and provides a great opportunity to find the appropriate combinations of genes and phenotypes that are tolerant to various environmental factors. Analyzing the effects of abiotic stress factors, alone or in combination, on different crops and/or their tolerant lines is extremely important for studying plant response mechanisms. This knowledge should help to develop sustainable and better adapted plant lines to stress conditions in a global warming and pollution scenario.

Research on all topics related to understanding the molecular mechanism of abiotic stress responses of crop plants, different cultivars, hybrids, and genotypes will be welcomed.

Prof. Dr. Anelia Dobrikova
Prof. Dr. Michael Moustakas
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.

Keywords

  • abiotic stress responses
  • drought
  • salinity
  • temperature stress
  • UV and light stress
  • heavy metals
  • ROS
  • acclimation mechanisms
  • stress tolerance
  • photosynthesis

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

11 pages, 3704 KiB  
Article
Exploring Natural Variations in Arabidopsis thaliana: Plant Adaptability to Salt Stress
by Marco Lombardi, Manuel Bellucci, Sara Cimini, Vittoria Locato, Francesco Loreto and Laura De Gara
Plants 2024, 13(8), 1069; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13081069 - 10 Apr 2024
Viewed by 364
Abstract
The increase in soil salinization represents a current challenge for plant productivity, as most plants, including crops, are mainly salt-sensitive species. The identification of molecular traits underpinning salt tolerance represents a primary goal for breeding programs. In this scenario, the study of intraspecific [...] Read more.
The increase in soil salinization represents a current challenge for plant productivity, as most plants, including crops, are mainly salt-sensitive species. The identification of molecular traits underpinning salt tolerance represents a primary goal for breeding programs. In this scenario, the study of intraspecific variability represents a valid tool for investigating natural genetic resources evolved by plants in different environmental conditions. As a model system, Arabidopsis thaliana, including over 750 natural accessions, represents a species extensively studied at phenotypic, metabolic, and genomic levels under different environmental conditions. Two haplogroups showing opposite root architecture (shallow or deep roots) in response to auxin flux perturbation were identified and associated with EXO70A3 locus variations. Here, we studied the influence of these genetic backgrounds on plant salt tolerance. Eight accessions belonging to the two haplogroups were tested for salt sensitivity by exposing them to moderate (75 mM NaCl) or severe (150 mM NaCl) salt stress. Salt-tolerant accessions were found in both haplogroups, and all of them showed efficient ROS-scavenging ability. Even if an exclusive relation between salt tolerance and haplogroup membership was not observed, the modulation of root system architecture might also contribute to salt tolerance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Physiological and Molecular Mechanisms of Plant Responses to Abiotic Stress II)
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20 pages, 2392 KiB  
Article
The Role of Stress Modifier Biostimulants on Adaptive Strategy of Oregano Plant for Increasing Productivity under Water Shortage
by Reza Abdali, Amir Rahimi, Sina Siavash Moghaddam, Saeid Heydarzadeh, Carmen Arena, Ermenegilda Vitale and Mohammad Zamanian
Plants 2023, 12(24), 4117; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12244117 - 09 Dec 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 886
Abstract
To investigate the influence of stress modulators on the adaptive physiological responses and biomass traits of oregano under water stress conditions, a two-year (2018 and 2019) randomized complete block-designed factorial research was performed. In this study, oregano plants were treated with five stress [...] Read more.
To investigate the influence of stress modulators on the adaptive physiological responses and biomass traits of oregano under water stress conditions, a two-year (2018 and 2019) randomized complete block-designed factorial research was performed. In this study, oregano plants were treated with five stress modulators levels (CHN: chitosan, AMA: amino acids, SEW: seaweed, ASA: ascorbic acid, SAA: salicylic acid, and CON: control) at three levels of irrigation regimes (Irr40 (40), Irr60 (60) and Irr75 (75) % field capacity). The effects of water shortage and biostimulant application were evaluated on total dry weight (TDW), relative water content (RWC), essential oil production, chlorophyll, nutrient (N, K, and P), proline, total soluble sugar, polyphenol and flavonoid content, and activity of antioxidant enzymes. The result showed that under optimal irrigation conditions, oregano plants sprayed with CHN exhibited the highest dry weight (141.23 g m−2) as a morphological trait, the highest relative water content (79.34%), the most consistent concentrations of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (3.14, 0.39, and 1.69%, respectively), chlorophylls a and b (3.02 and 1.95 mg g−1 FW, respectively), and total phenols and total flavonoids (30.72 and 3.17 mg g−1 DW, respectively). The water deficit increased the proline content, with the greatest amount (4.17 μg g−1 FW) observed in control plants. Moreover, under moisture shortage stress conditions, the application of CHN and SEW increased the soluble sugar (27.26 μmol g−1 FW) and essential oil yield (1.80%) production, the catalase, ascorbate peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase activities (3.17, 1.18, and 63.89 μmol min−1 g−1 FW, respectively) compared to control plants. In summary, the study demonstrated that oregano plants respond positively to stress modulator treatments when subjected to moisture shortage stress, especially when treated with chitosan. The results offer promising insights for developing sustainable adaptative strategies aimed at enhancing the oregano’s tolerance to water shortage, ultimately improving its productivity and biochemical traits. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Physiological and Molecular Mechanisms of Plant Responses to Abiotic Stress II)
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22 pages, 6622 KiB  
Article
Transcriptomic and Physiological Analysis Reveals Genes Associated with Drought Stress Responses in Populus alba × Populus glandulosa
by Tae-Lim Kim, Hyemin Lim, Michael Immanuel Jesse Denison and Changyoung Oh
Plants 2023, 12(18), 3238; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12183238 - 12 Sep 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 962
Abstract
Drought stress affects plant productivity by altering plant responses at the morphological, physiological, and molecular levels. In this study, we identified physiological and genetic responses in Populus alba × Populus glandulosa hybrid clones 72-30 and 72-31 after 12 days of exposure to drought [...] Read more.
Drought stress affects plant productivity by altering plant responses at the morphological, physiological, and molecular levels. In this study, we identified physiological and genetic responses in Populus alba × Populus glandulosa hybrid clones 72-30 and 72-31 after 12 days of exposure to drought treatment. After 12 days of drought treatment, glucose, fructose, and sucrose levels were significantly increased in clone 72-30 under drought stress. The Fv/Fo and Fv/Fm values in both clones also decreased under drought stress. The changes in proline, malondialdehyde, and H2O2 levels were significant and more pronounced in clone 72-30 than in clone 72-31. The activities of antioxidant-related enzymes, such as catalase and ascorbate peroxidase, were significantly higher in the 72-31 clone. To identify drought-related genes, we conducted a transcriptomic analysis in P. alba × P. glandulosa leaves exposed to drought stress. We found 883 up-regulated and 305 down-regulated genes in the 72-30 clone and 279 and 303 in the 72-31 clone, respectively. These differentially expressed genes were mainly in synthetic pathways related to proline, abscisic acid, and antioxidants. Overall, clone 72-31 showed better drought tolerance than clone 72-30 under drought stress, and genetic changes also showed different patterns. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Physiological and Molecular Mechanisms of Plant Responses to Abiotic Stress II)
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16 pages, 15589 KiB  
Article
Early Detection of Phenotypic Diversity of Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) in Response to Temperature
by Abraham J. Escobar-Gutiérrez and Lina Q. Ahmed
Plants 2023, 12(18), 3224; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12183224 - 11 Sep 2023
Viewed by 880
Abstract
Climate change may have important consequences on plant distribution because local environments could change faster than the pace of natural selection and adaptation of wild populations and cultivars of perennial forages. Temperature is a primary factor affecting seed germination and primary heterotrophic growth [...] Read more.
Climate change may have important consequences on plant distribution because local environments could change faster than the pace of natural selection and adaptation of wild populations and cultivars of perennial forages. Temperature is a primary factor affecting seed germination and primary heterotrophic growth processes. Medicago sativa (L.) is the most important forage legumes globally. The accelerated breeding of alfalfa cultivars adapted to new ranges of temperature could be necessary under most future climate scenarios. This work aims to explore the genetic diversity of a sample of accessions for responses to temperature during seed germination and seedling heterotrophic growth. Seeds or seedlings were placed in the dark under eight constant temperatures in the range of 5 °C to 40 °C. Germinated seeds were manually counted, while hypocotyl and radicle growth were estimated by using image analysis and curve fitting. Multivariate analyses highlighted links between responses and the origin of accessions. Variability was high, within and between accessions, for all the response variables. Accessions showed significant differences in their non-linear response curves in terms of germinability, germination rates and relative elongation rates. Nevertheless, differences were more noticeable in germination rations and rates compared to seedling heterotrophic growth. Consequently, these could be easier to use as early markers for alfalfa selection and breeding for the future. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Physiological and Molecular Mechanisms of Plant Responses to Abiotic Stress II)
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19 pages, 1702 KiB  
Article
Soil Amendments and Foliar Melatonin Reduced Pb Uptake, and Oxidative Stress, and Improved Spinach Quality in Pb-Contaminated Soil
by Naeem Iqbal, Hafiz Syed Tanzeem-ul-Haq, Gull-e-Faran, Veysel Turan and Muhammad Iqbal
Plants 2023, 12(9), 1829; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12091829 - 29 Apr 2023
Cited by 45 | Viewed by 2165
Abstract
Amending Pb-affected soil with biochar (BH) and magnesium potassium phosphate cement (MKC) reduces Pb uptake in plants. Moreover, foliar applications of melatonin and proline are also known to reduce plant oxidative stress and Pb uptake. However, little is known about combining both techniques, [...] Read more.
Amending Pb-affected soil with biochar (BH) and magnesium potassium phosphate cement (MKC) reduces Pb uptake in plants. Moreover, foliar applications of melatonin and proline are also known to reduce plant oxidative stress and Pb uptake. However, little is known about combining both techniques, i.e., adding a combo immobilizing dose (CIA = mixture of BH and MKC at 50:50 ratio) in Pb-polluted soil and foliar application of proline and melatonin for reducing Pb uptake and oxidative stress in spinach. Control, proline, melatonin, CIA, CIA+proline, and CIA+melatonin were the treatments utilized in this pot study to see their effects on reducing plant oxidative stress, Pb uptake, and improving spinach quality in Pb-polluted soil. Moreover, Pb bioavailability, enzymatic activities, and numbers of bacteria, fungi, and actinomycetes in the soil were also evaluated. The effect of CIA on reducing Pb in the soil-plant system and improving soil enzymes and microbial numbers was more pronounced than melatonin alone. The most effective treatment was CIA+melatonin reducing Pb availability in soil (77%), shoots (95%), and roots (84%), alleviating oxidative stress, and improving plant biomass (98%) and nutrients. Soil enzymatic activities and the number of microorganisms in the rhizosphere were also highest with CIA+melatonin. Results highlight the significance of CIA+melatonin, as an inexpensive approach, in remediating Pb-polluted soil and improving spinach quality. However, further research is needed to understand the significance of CIA+melatonin on different crops and various soil Pb concentrations before employing this technique commercially in agriculture and environment sectors. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Physiological and Molecular Mechanisms of Plant Responses to Abiotic Stress II)
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