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Plants
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New Insights into Plants' Defense Mechanisms against Abiotic Stresses
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New Insights into Plants' Defense Mechanisms against Abiotic Stresses

A special issue of Plants (ISSN 2223-7747).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2022) | Viewed by 12974

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Feibo Wu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Crop Science, Department of Agronomy, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zijingang Campus, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
Interests: molecular physiology of abiotic stress tolerance in crops
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Fei Chen

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 311121, China
Interests: molecular mechanism of abiotic stress response and tolerance; plant physiology; plant genetics
Dr. Imrul Mosaddek Ahmed

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Center for Viticulture and Small Fruit Research, Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, Tallahassee, FL 32317, USA
2. Plant Physiology Division, Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute, Gazipur 1701, Bangladesh
Interests: crop physiology; plant biotechnology; molecular biology; genetics; crop production
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Plants are continuously exposed to abiotic stresses such as drought, salinity, heavy metals, heat, waterlogging and cold, which negatively affect crop performance and yield. This has raised a major challenge for plant scientists to secure global food supplies and created an urgent need to continuously increase the yield of major food crops. Although exceptional research has already highlighted some core components of plant defenses, it remains a huge challenge to identify the genes and cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in the defense strategies of plants against particular abiotic stresses. Stress responses and defense mechanisms are especially complex because of crosstalk, spatio-temporal regulations, intricate metabolic networks, variations in specialized metabolites among plant species, and multiple defense responses against a single threat. Better analytic tools to explore metabolomes and proteomes, genome sequencing, and improved genetic tools are now available for unraveling the defense mechanisms against abiotic stresses. Exploiting new knowledge of plants’ defense mechanisms will lead to the development of new varieties, with enhanced protection against drought, salinity, heavy metals, heat/cold and waterlogging, and will ameliorate sustainable agriculture practices. This Special Issue of Plants welcomes articles (research articles, review articles, communications, methods, and short notes) that enhance our understanding of plants’ defense mechanisms against abiotic stresses.

Prof. Dr. Feibo Wu
Dr. Fei Chen
Dr. Imrul Mossadek Ahmed
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 stresses, including extreme temperatures, drought, salinity, submergence, heavy metals, and others
  • gene regulation
  • metabolism
  • plant signaling
  • CRISPR/cas
  • non-coding RNAs
  • OMICS
  • plant–microbe interactions.

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 6257 KiB  
Article
Effects of White and Blue-Red Light on Growth and Metabolism of Basil Grown under Microcosm Conditions
by Luigi d’Aquino, Rosaria Cozzolino, Giovanni Nardone, Gianni Borelli, Emilia Gambale, Maria Sighicelli, Patrizia Menegoni, Giuseppe Carlo Modarelli, Juri Rimauro, Elena Chianese, Giuseppe Nenna, Tommaso Fasolino, Gilda D’Urso and Paola Montoro
Plants 2023, 12(7), 1450; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12071450 - 25 Mar 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1527
Abstract
Indoor farming of basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) under artificial lighting to support year-round produce demand is an area of increasing interest. Literature data indicate that diverse light regimes differently affect downstream metabolic pathways which influence basil growth, development and metabolism. In this [...] Read more.
Indoor farming of basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) under artificial lighting to support year-round produce demand is an area of increasing interest. Literature data indicate that diverse light regimes differently affect downstream metabolic pathways which influence basil growth, development and metabolism. In this study, basil was grown from seedlings to fully developed plants in a microcosm, an innovative device aimed at growing plants indoor as in natural conditions. Specifically, the effects of white (W) and blue-red (BR) light under a photosynthetic photon flux density of 255 μmol m−2 s−1 on plant growth, photochemistry, soluble nutrient concentration and secondary metabolism were investigated. Plants grew taller (41.8 ± 5.0 vs. 28.4 ± 2.5 cm) and produced greater biomass (150.3 ± 24.2/14.7 ± 2.0 g vs. 116.2 ± 28.3/12.3 ± 2.5 g fresh/dry biomass) under W light compared to BR light. The two lighting conditions differently influenced the soluble nutrient concentration and the translocation rate. No photosynthetic stress was observed under the two lighting regimes, but leaves grown under W light displayed higher levels of maximum quantum yield of PSII and electron transport rate. Sharp differences in metabolic patterns under the two lighting regimes were detected with higher concentrations of phenolic compounds under the BR light. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Insights into Plants' Defense Mechanisms against Abiotic Stresses)
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13 pages, 3128 KiB  
Article
Comparative Transcriptome Profiling Reveals Key MicroRNAs and Regulatory Mechanisms for Aluminum Tolerance in Olive
by Yi Wu, Fangbin Cao, Lupeng Xie, Feibo Wu, Shenlong Zhu and Chengwei Qiu
Plants 2023, 12(5), 978; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12050978 - 21 Feb 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1259
Abstract
Aluminum toxicity (Al) is one of the major constraints to crop production in acidic soils. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have emerged as key regulatory molecules at post-transcriptional levels, playing crucial roles in modulating various stress responses in plants. However, miRNAs and their target genes conferring [...] Read more.
Aluminum toxicity (Al) is one of the major constraints to crop production in acidic soils. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have emerged as key regulatory molecules at post-transcriptional levels, playing crucial roles in modulating various stress responses in plants. However, miRNAs and their target genes conferring Al tolerance are poorly studied in olive (Olea europaea L.). Here, genome-wide expression changes in miRNAs of the roots from two contrasting olive genotypes Zhonglan (ZL, Al-tolerant) and Frantoio selezione (FS, Al-sensitive) were investigated by high-throughput sequencing approaches. A total of 352 miRNAs were discovered in our dataset, consisting of 196 conserved miRNAs and 156 novel miRNAs. Comparative analyses showed 11 miRNAs have significantly different expression patterns in response to Al stress between ZL and FS. In silico prediction identified 10 putative target gene of these miRNAs, including MYB transcription factors, homeobox-leucine zipper (HD-Zip) proteins, auxin response factors (ARF), ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters and potassium efflux antiporter. Further functional classification and enrichment analysis revealed these Al-tolerance associated miRNA-mRNA pairs are mainly involved in transcriptional regulation, hormone signaling, transportation and metabolism. These findings provide new information and perspectives into the regulatory roles of miRNAs and their target for enhancing Al tolerance in olives. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Insights into Plants' Defense Mechanisms against Abiotic Stresses)
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20 pages, 2620 KiB  
Article
Cytogenetic and Biochemical Responses of Wheat Seeds to Proton Irradiation at the Bragg Peak
by Lacramioara Oprica, Gabriela Vochita, Marius-Nicușor Grigore, Sergey Shvidkiy, Alexander Molokanov, Daniela Gherghel, Anda Les and Dorina Creanga
Plants 2023, 12(4), 842; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12040842 - 13 Feb 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1155
Abstract
The present study aimed to evaluate the morphological, cytogenetic and biochemical changes in wheat seedlings as affected by seed exposure to a proton beam at the Bragg peak. The average energy of the proton beam was of 171 MeV at the entrance into [...] Read more.
The present study aimed to evaluate the morphological, cytogenetic and biochemical changes in wheat seedlings as affected by seed exposure to a proton beam at the Bragg peak. The average energy of the proton beam was of 171 MeV at the entrance into the irradiator room while at the point of sample irradiation the beam energy was of 150 MeV, with the average value of the Linear Energy Transfer of 0.539 keV/μm and the dose rate of 0.55 Gy/min, the radiation doses being of the order of tens of Gy. Cytogenetic investigation has revealed the remarkable diminution of the mitotic index as linear dose-response curve as well as the spectacular linear increase of the aberration index. Analyzing some biometric parameters, it was found that neither dry matter nor water content of wheat seedlings was influenced by proton beam exposure. Studying the biochemical parameters related to the antioxidant defense system, we found that the irradiation caused the slight increasing tendency of peroxidase activity as well as the decreasing trend in the activity of superoxidedismutase in the seedlings grown from the irradiated seeds. The level of malonedialdehyde (MDA) and total polyphenols showed an increasing tendency in all seedling variants corresponding to irradiated seeds, compared to the control. We conclude that the irradiation clearly induced dose-response curves at the level of cytogenetic parameters together with relatively slight variation tendency of some biochemical parameters related to the antioxidant defense system while imperceptible changes could be noticed in the biometric parameters. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Insights into Plants' Defense Mechanisms against Abiotic Stresses)
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31 pages, 11315 KiB  
Article
Determination and Quantification of Phytochemicals from the Leaf Extract of Parthenium hysterophorus L. and Their Physio-Biochemical Responses to Several Crop and Weed Species
by HM Khairul Bashar, Abdul Shukor Juraimi, Muhammad Saiful Ahmad-Hamdani, Md. Kamal Uddin, Norhayu Asib, Md. Parvez Anwar, Ferdoushi Rahaman, SM Rezaul Karim, Mohammad Amdadul Haque, Zulkarami Berahim, Nik Amelia Nik Mustapha and Akbar Hossain
Plants 2022, 11(23), 3209; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11233209 - 23 Nov 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1816
Abstract
This current investigation was undertaken both in laboratory and glasshouse for documentation and quantification of phytochemicals from different parts of the parthenium (Parthenium hysterophorus L.) plant through LC-MS and HPLC to study their effect on two crops namely, Bambara groundnut (Vigna [...] Read more.
This current investigation was undertaken both in laboratory and glasshouse for documentation and quantification of phytochemicals from different parts of the parthenium (Parthenium hysterophorus L.) plant through LC-MS and HPLC to study their effect on two crops namely, Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranean L.) and maize (Zea mays L.), and six different types of weed e.g., Digitaria sanguinalis, Eleusine indica, Ageratum conyzoides, Cyperus iria, Euphorbia hirta, and Cyperus difformis. The parthenium methanolic leaf extracts at 25, 50, 75, and 100 g L−1 were sprayed in the test crops and weeds to assess their physiological and biochemical reactions after 6, 24, 48, and 72 h of spraying these compounds (HAS). The LC-MS analysis confirmed seven types of phytochemicals (caffeic acid, ferulic acid, vanillic acid, parthenin, chlorogenic acid, quinic acid, and p-anisic acid) in the parthenium leaf extract that were responsible for the inhibition of tested crops and weeds. From the HPLC analysis, higher amounts in leaf methanol extracts (40,752.52 ppm) than those of the stem (2664.09 ppm) and flower extracts (30,454.33 ppm) were recorded. Parthenium leaf extract at 100 g L−1 had observed higher phytotoxicity on all weed species except C. difformis. However, all crops were found safe under this dose of extraction. Although both crops were also affected to some extent, they could recover from the stress after a few days. The photosynthetic rate, transpiration rate, stomatal conductance, carotenoid and chlorophyll content were decreased due to the application of parthenium leaf extract. However, when parthenium leaf extract was applied at 100 g L−1 for 72 h, the malondialdehyde (MDA) and proline content were increased in all weeds. Enzymatic antioxidant activity (e.g., superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and peroxidase (POD) contents) were also elevated as a result of the sprayed parthenium leaf extract. The negative impact of physiological and biochemical responses as a consequence of the parthenium leaf extract led the weed species to be stressed and finally killed. The current findings show the feasibility of developing bioherbicide from the methanolic extract of parthenium leaf for controlling weeds, which will be cost-effective, sustainable, and environment friendly for crop production during the future changing climate. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Insights into Plants' Defense Mechanisms against Abiotic Stresses)
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15 pages, 2646 KiB  
Article
Effects of Iron Oxide Nanoparticles (Fe3O4) on Growth, Photosynthesis, Antioxidant Activity and Distribution of Mineral Elements in Wheat (Triticum aestivum) Plants
by Yingming Feng, Vladimir D. Kreslavski, Alexander N. Shmarev, Anatoli A. Ivanov, Sergey K. Zharmukhamedov, Anatoliy Kosobryukhov, Min Yu, Suleyman I. Allakhverdiev and Sergey Shabala
Plants 2022, 11(14), 1894; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11141894 - 21 Jul 2022
Cited by 50 | Viewed by 4205
Abstract
Engineered nanoparticles (NPs) are considered potential agents for agriculture as fertilizers and growth enhancers. However, their action spectrum differs strongly, depending on the type of NP, its concentrations, and plant species per se, ranging from growth stimulation to toxicity. This work aimed to [...] Read more.
Engineered nanoparticles (NPs) are considered potential agents for agriculture as fertilizers and growth enhancers. However, their action spectrum differs strongly, depending on the type of NP, its concentrations, and plant species per se, ranging from growth stimulation to toxicity. This work aimed to investigate effects of iron oxide (Fe3O4) NPs on growth, photosynthesis, respiration, antioxidant activity, and leaf mineral content of wheat plants. Wheat seeds were treated with NP for 3 h and plants were grown in the soil at two light intensities, 120 and 300 μmol (photons) m−2·s−1, followed by physiological assessment at several time points. High NP treatment (200 and 500 mg·L−1) enhanced plant growth, photosynthesis and respiration, as well as increasing the content of photosynthetic pigments in leaves. This effect depended on both the light intensity during plant growth and the age of the plants. Regardless of concentration and light intensity, an effect of NPs on the primary photochemical processes was not observed. Seed treatment with NP also led to increased activity of ascorbate peroxidase and reduced malondialdehyde (MDA) content in roots and leaves. Treatment with Fe3O4 also led to noticeable increases in the leaf Fe, P, and K content. It is concluded that iron oxide (Fe3O4)-based NP could enhance plant growth by improving photosynthetic performance and the availability of Fe and P. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Insights into Plants' Defense Mechanisms against Abiotic Stresses)
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11 pages, 5015 KiB  
Article
Genome-Wide Identification and Expression Analysis of CsCaM/CML Gene Family in Response to Low-Temperature and Salt Stresses in Chrysanthemum seticuspe
by Manman Fu, Chao Wu, Xia Li, Xiaoyu Ding and Fangqi Guo
Plants 2022, 11(13), 1760; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11131760 - 01 Jul 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1952
Abstract
Calmodulin (CaM) and calmodulin-like proteins (CML) act as significant Ca2+ sensors binding Ca2+ with EF-hand motifs and have been reported to be involved in various environmental stresses in plants. In this study, calmodulin CsCaM/CML gene family members were identified based on [...] Read more.
Calmodulin (CaM) and calmodulin-like proteins (CML) act as significant Ca2+ sensors binding Ca2+ with EF-hand motifs and have been reported to be involved in various environmental stresses in plants. In this study, calmodulin CsCaM/CML gene family members were identified based on the genome of Chrysanthemum seticuspe published recently; a phylogenetic tree was constructed; gene structures and chromosomal locations of CsCaM/CML were depicted; cis-acting regulatory elements were predicted; collinearity and duplicate events of CaM/CML were analyzed using MCScanX software; and the expression levels of CsCaM/CML in response to abiotic stress were analyzed, based on the published RNA-seq data. We identified 86 CsCaM/CML (4 CsCaMs and 82 CsCMLs) genes in total. Promoter sequences of CsCaM/CML contained elements related to abiotic stresses (including low-temperature and anaerobic stresses) and plant hormones (including abscisic acid (ABA), MeJA, and salicylic acid). CsCaM/CML genes were distributed on nine chromosomes unevenly. Collinearity analysis indicated that recent segmental duplications significantly enlarged the scale of the CML family in C. seticuspe. Four CsCMLs (CsCML14, CsCML50, CsCML65, and CsCML79) were statistically differentially regulated under low-temperature and salt stress compared with those in the normal condition. These results indicate diverse roles of CsCaM/CML in plant development and in response to environmental stimuli in C. seticuspe. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Insights into Plants' Defense Mechanisms against Abiotic Stresses)
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