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Cell Physiology and Stress Adaptation of Crops

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 September 2025 | Viewed by 5020

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Dr. Wei Jiang

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Guest Editor

1. Xianghu Laboratory, Hangzhou 311231, China
2. College of Agricultural, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
Interests: plants; abiotic stress; plant physiology; molecular biology; genetics; evolution

Dr. Haitao Liu

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Guest Editor

College of Resources and Environment, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, China
Interests: abiotic stress; plant physiology; molecular biology; genetics
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In recent decades, the world has faced a growing number of challenges including climate change, sustainable agriculture, and food security. Therefore, understanding how crops adapt to stress at the cellular level is important for the growing population. This Special Issue invites research on the physiological and cellular mechanisms underlying plant responses to various stresses, including but not limited to drought, flooding, heavy metal, salinity, heat, cold and nutrient deficiency.

Contributions are encouraged to explore:

Stress-Responsive Genes: Functional studies of genes involved in stress tolerance.
Cell Signaling Pathways: Understanding biotic and abiotic stress-induced cellular signaling mechanisms.
Hormonal Regulation: Roles of plant hormones such as abscisic acid (ABA), ethylene (ET), and gibberellins (GA) in stress response.
Photosynthesis and Metabolism: Effects of stress on photosynthetic efficiency and primary metabolism.
Osmotic and Ionic Homeostasis: Maintaining water balance and ion concentrations through cellular adaptations.
Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) Balance: Cellular mechanisms for controlling oxidative stress under adverse conditions.
Protein Folding and Stability: Molecular chaperones that help maintain cellular integrity, such as heat shock proteins.

Dr. Wei Jiang
Dr. Haitao Liu
Guest Editors

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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.

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Keywords

crops
stress
plant physiology
molecular biology
genetics
evolution

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Published Papers (8 papers)

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Research

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20 pages, 6404 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi on the Growth and Nutrient Uptake in Wheat Under Low Potassium Stress

by An-Qi Han, Shuai-Bo Chen, Dan-Dan Zhang, Jin Liu, Meng-Chuan Zhang, Bin Wang, Yue Xiao, Hai-Tao Liu, Tian-Cai Guo, Guo-Zhang Kang and Ge-Zi Li

Plants 2025, 14(9), 1288; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14091288 - 24 Apr 2025

Abstract

Potassium (K) plays important roles in plant growth and development processes, while low K (LK) stress inhibits plant growth by altering reactive oxygen species accumulation. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) promote nutrient absorption and transport in plants. However, the roles of AMF in affecting K nutrition are less well studied than those of other nutrients, especially in wheat. In this study, the effects of AMF on four wheat varieties were evaluated; results showed that the inoculation with the AMF-Rhizophagus intraradices significantly increased mycorrhizal colonization, fresh and dry weights, ascorbic acid, and glutathione contents, while decreasing malondialdehyde contents under both normal and LK stress treatments. It is worth noting that the contents of K and several nutrient elements were more significantly increased in roots than in shoots, suggesting that AMF mainly affect the uptake of K and other nutrient elements in the roots. Moreover, the expression levels of K transporter genes were higher than those of nitrogen and phosphorus transporter genes, especially under AMF combined with LK stress treatments. These results indicate that AMF improves wheat growth and antioxidant activity by regulating K transporter gene expression and affecting K uptake and transport. Therefore, AMF could be used as a sustainable agricultural alternative in wheat under LK soils. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cell Physiology and Stress Adaptation of Crops)

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19 pages, 4999 KiB

Open AccessArticle

ABA Enhances Drought Resistance During Rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) Seed Germination Through the Gene Regulatory Network Mediated by ABA Insensitive 5

by Dan Luo, Qian Huang, Manyi Chen, Haibo Li, Guangyuan Lu, Huimin Feng and Yan Lv

Plants 2025, 14(9), 1276; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14091276 - 22 Apr 2025

Abstract

ABA Insensitive 5 (ABI5) is a basic leucine zipper (bZIP) transcription factor (TF) that plays a critical role in seed dormancy and germination, particularly under stress conditions. This study identified ABI5 as an important candidate gene regulating seed germination under drought stress during early germination in rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) seeds through Genome-Wide Association Study (GWAS). Using Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats/CRISPR-associated protein 9 (CRISPR/CAS9) technology, ABI5 mutant plants were generated, showing higher germination rates and more developed root systems at 72 h. Transcriptomic analysis of wild-type (WT) and mutant seeds under water, 2μM of abscisic acid (ABA), and 10% PEG treatments after 0, 24, 48, and 72 h revealed complex changes in gene regulatory networks due to ABI5 mutation. Differential expression analysis showed that the number of downregulated differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the mutant was significantly higher than upregulated DEGs at multiple time points and treatments, indicating a negative regulatory role for ABI5 in gene expression. Weighted Gene Co-Expression Network Analysis (WGCNA) revealed that genes related to ABA content, such as those in the glutathione metabolism pathway, were similarly downregulated in the ABI5 mutants. Key genes, including BnA03g0120550.1 (GST), BnA09g0366300.1 (GST), BnA10g0413960.1 (gshA), and BnC02g0518750.1 (GST), were identified as potential candidates in ABI5-regulated drought responses. Additionally, TFs involved in regulating the glutathione metabolism pathway were identified, providing insights into the collaboration of ABI5 with other TF. This comprehensive transcriptomic analysis of ABI5 mutant plants highlights how ABI5 affects gene expression in multiple pathways, impacting seed germination and drought resistance, offering a foundation for improving drought tolerance in rapeseed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cell Physiology and Stress Adaptation of Crops)

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19 pages, 19567 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Rice Cytochrome P450 Protein CYP71P1 Is Required for Heat Stress Tolerance by Regulating Serotonin Biosynthesis and ROS Homeostasis

by Xuantong Lv, Xunan Zhao, Fang Wang, Haili Wang, Yanli Zhang, Banpu Ruan, Guojun Dong, Yanchun Yu, Limin Wu and Fei Chen

Plants 2025, 14(7), 1072; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14071072 - 1 Apr 2025

Viewed by 309

Abstract

Heat stress is one of the major factors affecting crop growth and yield. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying rice heat stress tolerance remain largely unclear. In this study, we identified and characterized the rice high temperature sensitive 2 (hts2) mutant, which is highly susceptible to heat stress. Map-based cloning revealed that the HTS2 encodes a cytochrome P450 protein (CYP71P1) involved in serotonin biosynthesis. HTS2 is ubiquitously expressed across plant tissues and shows strong upregulation in response to heat stress. The HTS2 mutation significantly impairs basal serotonin synthesis in rice, and the heat-sensitive phenotype of the hts2 mutant is completely rescued by exogenous serotonin supplementation. Compared to the wild type, the hts2 mutant exhibits reduced antioxidant capacity, leading to excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation and severe oxidative damage, ultimately reducing heat stress tolerance. Furthermore, disruption of HTS2 significantly affects the rice heat shock response, with the heat-induced expression of HsfA2s and their downstream target genes, such as HSP18.0 (heat shock protein 18.0) and OsAPX2 (ascorbate peroxidase 2), markedly depressed in hts2 mutant. Our results suggest a pivotal role of HTS2 in modulating serotonin metabolism and maintaining ROS homeostasis during heat stress, offering new perspectives on the mechanisms underlying heat tolerance and potential strategies to enhance rice resilience to heat stress. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cell Physiology and Stress Adaptation of Crops)

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16 pages, 4516 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Genome-Wide Identification and Expression Profiling of ABA-Stress-Ripening (ASR) Gene Family in Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.)

by Jie Ren, Kangfeng Cai, Xiujuan Song, Wenhao Yue, Lei Liu, Fangying Ge, Qiuyu Wang and Junmei Wang

Plants 2025, 14(6), 970; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14060970 - 19 Mar 2025

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Abstract

Abscisic acid (ABA)-stress-ripening, or ABA-, stress-, and ripening-induced (ASR) proteins play an important role in responses to environmental stimuli. A total of ten barley HvASRs were identified in this study, which were unevenly distributed on three chromosomes. ASRs from barley, wheat, Brachypodium distachyon, rice, maize, foxtail millet, and tomato were classified into two distinct clusters based on phylogenetic analysis. Notably, ASRs from Poaceae were evenly distributed between these two clusters. HvASRs contained a typical ABA/WDS domain, and exhibited similar motif arrangements. Two gene pairs of tandem duplicates (HvASR4/5/6/7 and HvASR8/9) were identified among HvASRs. Cis-acting elements involved in hormone and stress responses, including ABRE, MYB, ARE, and STRE, were consistently identified in the promoters of HvASRs. The expression of HvASRs was substantially influenced by salt, osmotic, and ABA treatments in the roots and leaves of barley seedlings. HvASR2 acts as a transcriptional repressor, whereas HvASR3 serves as a transcriptional activator. These results enhance our understanding of the HvASR family and provide a foundation for further functional characterization. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cell Physiology and Stress Adaptation of Crops)

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17 pages, 3997 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Bioinformatics and Expression Analysis of CHI Gene Family in Sweet Potato

by Yaqin Wu, Xiaojie Jin, Lianjun Wang, Chong Wang, Jian Lei, Shasha Chai, Wenying Zhang, Xinsun Yang and Rui Pan

Plants 2025, 14(5), 752; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14050752 - 1 Mar 2025

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Abstract

Chalcone isomerase (CHI) is not only an enzyme related to flavonoid biosynthesis, but also one of the key enzymes in the flavonoid metabolic pathway. In this study, members of the CHI gene family were identified in the whole genome of sweet potato. Bioinformatics methods were used to analyze the physical and chemical properties, systematic evolution, conserved domain, chromosome location, cis-acting elements of the promoter, and so on, of CHI gene family members. In addition, the tissue site-specific expression of CHI gene family members and their expression patterns under three kinds of abiotic stress were analyzed. The results showed that five members of IbCHI gene family were identified in sweet potato, which were unevenly distributed on four chromosomes. The protein secondary structure and tertiary structure were consistent, and there was a conservative domain related to chalcone isomerase. The prediction of subcellular localization showed that it was mainly located in cytoplasm and chloroplast. Systematic evolution showed that the members of sweet potato CHI gene family could be divided into Type I-IV, and the Type I gene IbCHI1 showed CHI catalytic activity in transgenic callus. The collinearity gene pairs were identified between sweet potato and allied species. Its promoter contains light response elements, hormone response elements, and stress response elements. The results of real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis showed that the expression of the IbCHI gene was tissue-specific and that the catalytic genes IbCHI1 and IbCHI5 serve as primary responders to abiotic stress, while the non-catalytic members IbCHI3 and IbCHI4 may fine-tune metabolic flux or participate in low-temperature, salt, and drought stress signaling. This study can provide a theoretical basis for a follow-up functional genomics study of the chalcone isomerase gene family in sweet potato. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cell Physiology and Stress Adaptation of Crops)

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16 pages, 3457 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Genome-Wide Identification and Expression Analysis of the G-Protein Gene Family in Barley Under Abiotic Stresses

by Ailing Han, Zhengyuan Xu, Zhenyu Cai, Yuling Zheng, Mingjiong Chen, Liyuan Wu and Qiufang Shen

Plants 2024, 13(24), 3521; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13243521 - 17 Dec 2024

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 902

Abstract

Heterotrimeric G-proteins are fundamental signal transducers highly conserved in plant species, which play crucial roles in regulating plant growth, development, and responses to abiotic stresses. Identification of G-protein members and their expression patterns in plants are essential for improving crop resilience against environmental stresses. Here, we identified eight heterotrimeric G-protein genes localized on four chromosomes within the barley genome by using comprehensive genome-wide analysis. Phylogenetic analysis classified these genes into four distinct subgroups with obvious evolutionary relationships. Further analysis on gene structure, protein motif, and structure indicated that G-proteins within each evolutionary branch exhibited similar exon-intron organization, conserved motif patterns, and structural features. Collinearity analysis showed no significant collinear relationships among those G-protein genes, indicating a unique evolutionary trajectory within barley. Moreover, cis-regulatory elements detected in the upstream sequences of these genes were involved in response to plant hormones and signaling molecules. Expression analyses revealed tissue-specific expression patterns and differential regulation in response to abiotic stresses. The expression patterns of G-protein genes were further validated using a quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) technique, indicating the reliability of transcriptomic data, as well as special responses to salt, drought, and waterlogging stresses. These findings may provide underlying mechanisms by which G-protein genes participate in salt tolerance of barley, and also highlight candidate genes for potential genetic engineering applications in improving crop resilience to salinity stress. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cell Physiology and Stress Adaptation of Crops)

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17 pages, 2826 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of Drought Stress at the Booting Stage on Leaf Physiological Characteristics and Yield of Rice

by Xiaolong Yang, Xiuxiu Wang, Yang Li, Lantian Yang, Long Hu, Yuling Han and Benfu Wang

Plants 2024, 13(24), 3464; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13243464 - 11 Dec 2024

Viewed by 1006

Abstract

Drought stress is a major environmental constraint that limits rice (Oryza sativa L.) production worldwide. In this study, we investigated the effects of drought stress at the booting stage on rice leaf physiological characteristics and yield. The results showed that drought stress would lead to a significant decrease in chlorophyll content and photosynthesis in rice leaves, which would affect rice yield. Three different rice varieties were used in this study, namely Hanyou73 (HY73), Huanghuazhan (HHZ), and IRAT109. Under drought stress, the chlorophyll content of all cultivars decreased significantly: 11.1% and 32.2% decreases in chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b in HHZ cultivars, 14.1% and 28.5% decreases in IRAT109 cultivars, and 22.9% and 18.6% decreases in HY73 cultivars, respectively. In addition, drought stress also led to a significant decrease in leaf water potential, a significant increase in antioxidant enzyme activity, and an increase in malondialdehyde (MDA) content, suggesting that rice activated a defense mechanism to cope with drought-induced oxidative stress. This study also found that drought stress significantly reduced the net photosynthetic rate and stomatal conductance of rice, which, in turn, affected the yield of rice. Under drought stress, the yield of the HHZ cultivars decreased most significantly, reaching 30.2%, while the yields of IRAT109 and HY73 cultivars decreased by 13.0% and 18.2%, respectively. The analysis of yield composition showed that the number of grains per panicle, seed-setting rate, and 1000-grain weight were the key factors affecting yield formation. A correlation analysis showed that there was a significant positive correlation between yield and net photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, chla/chlb ratio, Rubisco activity, and Fv/Fm, but there was a negative correlation with MDA and non-photochemical quenching (NPQ). In summary, the effects of drought stress on rice yield are multifaceted, involving changes in multiple agronomic traits. The results highlight the importance of selecting and nurturing rice varieties with a high drought tolerance, which should have efficient antioxidant systems and high photosynthetic efficiency. Future research should focus on the genetic mechanisms of these physiological responses in order to develop molecular markers to assist in the breeding of drought-tolerant rice varieties. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cell Physiology and Stress Adaptation of Crops)

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14 pages, 2480 KiB

Open AccessReview

Research Progress and Hotspots Analysis of Apoplastic Barriers in the Roots of Plants Based on Bibliometrics from 2003 to 2023

by Chongyuan Qin, Ruoqi Li, Zhuoran Tan, Jingnan Zhang, Yuyang Sun, Jinji Han, Xiaoxia Deng, Fei Wang, Qingjie Yang, Jinghong Wang and Jixiang Lin

Plants 2024, 13(23), 3285; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13233285 - 22 Nov 2024

Viewed by 1048

Abstract

The apoplastic barriers, composed of Casparian strip (CS) and suberin lamellae (SL), are integral to the regulation of water and plant nutrient uptake in plants, as well as their resilience to abiotic stresses. This study systematically examines the research developments and emerging trends in this field from 2003 to 2023, utilizing bibliometric tools such as Web of Science, CiteSpace, and VOSviewer to analyze a dataset of 642 publications. This paper reviews the cooperation of different countries, institutions, and scholars in apoplastic barriers research based on cooperative network analysis. In the field, China has the highest number of publications, the University of Bolton has the highest number of publications, and Niko Geldner is the author with the maximum number of publications. Notably, 27 publications were identified as highly cited, with their research primarily focusing on (1) genes, proteins, enzymes, and hormones regulating the formation of apoplastic barriers; (2) the influence of adversity stress on apoplastic barriers; (3) the chemical components of apoplastic barriers; (4) the evaluations of research progress on apoplastic barriers. Combined with the keyword co-occurrence network diagram, it is proposed that future research directions in this field should be as follows: (1) physiological functions of apoplastic barriers in plant root; (2) differences in the formation of apoplastic barriers with different root systems; (3) methods to promote apoplastic barriers formation; and (4) application of molecular biology techniques. The present study provides a further understanding of the trends in apoplastic barriers, and the data analyzed can be used as a guide for future research directions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cell Physiology and Stress Adaptation of Crops)

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