Molecular Mechanisms of Plant Abiotic Stress Tolerance 2.0

Dear Colleagues,

Throughout their life cycle, plants are continuously exposed to various abiotic stress factors that negatively influence plant growth, development, and crop productivity. However, plants have developed several dynamic approaches at the morphological, physiological, and biochemical levels that enable them to avoid and/or tolerate abiotic stresses. Avoidance mechanisms mainly include morphological and physiological adjustments that allow the plant to escape from the abiotic stress factor. In the case of drought stress, these adjustments involve an increased root system, increased leaf thickness, decreased leaf area, reduced stomatal number and conductance, and leaf rolling or folding to minimize evapotranspiration. Drought tolerance traits are correlated with the maintenance of the plant’s water status through osmotic adjustment, involving the accumulation of osmolytes that help the plants preserve their water status and acclimate to water deficit. The impact of abiotic stress factors on plants depends on the intensity, frequency, and duration of the stress, as well as on the plant species.

Despite various studies aiming to elucidate the mechanisms of plant tolerance to abiotic stress factors, the exact molecular mechanisms are not yet fully understood. Therefore, to evaluate the main reasons for crop yield reduction and food production worldwide, we need to illuminate the molecular mechanisms of plant abiotic stress tolerance to various stresses, such as drought, temperature, salinity, nutrient deficiency, light intensity, heavy metals, and UV radiation, as well as their influence on the growth, physiology, biochemistry, and photosynthesis of the plant species.

This Special Issue of IJMS will highlight the molecular mechanisms of plant tolerance to abiotic stresses, contributing to a better understanding of plant responses to stress factors, which can help in the development of realistic interventions to increase agricultural productivity.

Scientists from all around the world are invited to submit original research and review articles on all aspects of plant physiology and development, including growth, water relations, nutrition, photosynthesis, and related plant physiological processes, as well as changes in metabolism using omic techniques (ionomics, metabolomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, genomics, etc.).

Prof. Dr. Michael Moustakas
Guest Editor

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• acclimation
• drought
• salinity
• pesticides
• high–low temperature
• high–low light intensity
• nutrient deficiencies
• heavy metals
• UV radiation
• photosynthetic efficiency
• ROS
• antioxidant mechanisms
• redox regulation