Plant Ecophysiology Under Anthropogenic and Natural Stresses

A special issue of Agronomy (ISSN 2073-4395). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant-Crop Biology and Biochemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 February 2025 | Viewed by 593

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Guest Editor
Institute of Food Science, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences and Environmental Management, University of Debrecen, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary
Interests: abiotic stress; antioxidative enzymes; biofertilizers/biostimulants; biotic stress; free radicals; plant nutrients
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Stress in plants refers to any environmental condition or factor that adversely affects their growth, development, or productivity. Just like animals, plants can experience stress from various sources, which can be broadly categorized into abiotic (extreme temperatures, water imbalance, light stress, nutrient stress, salinity stress, pollution stress) and biotic stresses (from pathogens and herbivores). In addition, stresses can occur by human activity-induced environmental changes and natural environmental changes. Anthropogenic stress (pollution, habitat destruction and fragmentation, climate change, introduction of invasive species, agricultural practices, overexploitation, and harvesting) refers to environmental stresses or pressures on ecosystems and organisms that arise directly or indirectly from human activities. These stresses can have significant impacts on both natural and managed environments, including plants. On the other hand, natural stresses (climate extremes, water availability, edaphic factors, biological interactions, and natural disturbances) on plants refer to environmental factors and conditions that occur without direct human intervention or influence. These stresses are inherent parts of natural ecosystems and can significantly impact plant growth, development, and survival. Understanding how plants respond and adapt to these natural stresses is crucial for ecological research, conservation efforts, and sustainable land management practices. Plants have evolved various physiological, morphological, and biochemical strategies to cope with natural stresses, ensuring their survival and persistence in diverse ecosystems.

When plants experience stress, they initiate various morphological, physiological, biochemical, and molecular responses to cope with and adapt to adverse conditions. These responses can include changes in gene expression, production of stress-related proteins, accumulation of protective compounds like antioxidants, and alterations in metabolism to conserve resources.

Furthermore, plants can exhibit varying degrees of tolerance or sensitivity to different types of stress based on their genetic makeup, developmental stage, and environmental history. Agricultural practices often aim to mitigate stress through techniques such as irrigation, fertilization, crop rotation, pest management, and breeding for stress-resistant varieties.

Understanding plant stress is crucial for sustainable agriculture, as it enables farmers and researchers to develop strategies to enhance crop productivity and resilience in the face of changing environmental conditions.

Manuscripts submitted to this Special Issue can include original research data, reviews, and short communications related to plant responses to stressors. This Special Issue mainly focuses on crops, but other kinds of test plants are also welcome. In addition, multidisciplinary studies, including systems biology, molecular biology, genetic, physiological, and biochemical approaches, are also appreciated.

Dr. Brigitta Tóth
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • abiotic stress
  • allelopathy
  • antioxidant system
  • biostimulants
  • biotic stress
  • climate change
  • ecophysiology
  • free radicals
  • heavy metals
  • metabolites
  • oxidative stress
  • photosynthesis
  • plant stress responses
  • micromorphological changes in plants

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

24 pages, 3766 KiB  
Article
Microanatomical Properties of Energy Willow (Salix spp.) Leaves after Exposure to Potentially Toxic Elements from Wastewater Solids and Wood Ash
by Csilla Tóth, László Simon and Brigitta Tóth
Agronomy 2024, 14(8), 1625; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy14081625 - 25 Jul 2024
Viewed by 428
Abstract
This open-field small-plot long-term experiment was set up between 2011 and 2021 with willow (Salix triandra × S. viminalis ‘Inger’), grown as a short rotation coppice energy crop in Nyíregyháza, Hungary. The sandy loam Cambisol was treated with wastewater solids (WS) in [...] Read more.
This open-field small-plot long-term experiment was set up between 2011 and 2021 with willow (Salix triandra × S. viminalis ‘Inger’), grown as a short rotation coppice energy crop in Nyíregyháza, Hungary. The sandy loam Cambisol was treated with wastewater solids (WS) in the form of municipal sewage sludge compost (MSSC, 2011, 2013, and 2016), municipal sewage sediment (MSS, 2018), and with willow ash (WA, 2011, 2013, 2016, and 2018). Control plots remained untreated since 2011. All soil treatments significantly enhanced the uptake or accumulation of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in the leaves of willows. During June 2019, 53 weeks after the last soil treatments, MSSC + MSS-, WA-, and MSSC + MSS + WA-treated willows leaves had 14–68% more As, 17–48% more Ba, 31–104% more Cr, 4–12% more Cu, 6–15% more Mn, 18–218% more Pb, and 11–35% more Zn compared to the untreated control. Significantly higher Mn and Zn concentrations were measured in the MSSC + MSS + WA treatments than in the MSSC + MSS treatments. The assumption that WA reduces the accumulation of PTEs in willow leaves when applied together with MSSC and MSS was therefore only partially confirmed. The hypothesis of this study was that PTEs accumulated in the leaves would affect the microanatomical parameters of the leaves. Numerous positive changes were observed with the combined application of WS and WA. MSSC + MSS + WA treatment reduced the thickness of the mesophyll less than MSSC + MSS or WA treatments alone; the size of the cells building the palisade and spongy parenchyma and the extent of the main vein significantly increased. In the case of the combined treatment, the extent of the sclerenchymatous stock was smaller than in the control but larger than in WS- or WA-treated willow. The extent of the collenchymatous stock significantly increased compared to the control. Increases in the thickness of the adaxial epidermis and the number of stomata were statistically significant. However, the extent of the increases did not reach the extent of the increase experienced in the case of WS treatment, as the size of the stomata did not significantly decrease. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Ecophysiology Under Anthropogenic and Natural Stresses)
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