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Plants
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Multifunctional Mediators in Plant Development and Stress Response
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Multifunctional Mediators in Plant Development and Stress Response

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2026 | Viewed by 14456

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Maurizio Trovato

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Biology and Biotechnologies “Charles Darwin”, University of Rome, Rome, Italy
Interests: proline metabolism; abiotic stress tolerance; developmental biology; plant biotechnology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Davide Marzi

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Research Institute on Terrestrial Ecosystems-National Research Council (IRET-CNR), 00015 Rome, Italy
Interests: plant molecular biology; plant physiology; plant development; phytoremediation

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The developmental programs that regulate growth and differentiation in plants are controlled by plant hormones, such as auxins, cytokinins, gibberellic acid, jasmonic acid, salicylic acid, and abscisic acid. These hormones activate the expression of downstream master regulator genes that encode transcription factors and enzymes essential for plant development. However, as sessile organisms, plants are continuously exposed to environmental and developmental stresses that must be detected and counterbalanced to ensure normal growth and development. To this end, several multifunctional mediators, including amino acids, polyamines, polyphenols, sugars, reactive oxygen species (ROS), and small molecules, interact with key pathways to integrate downstream responses and fine-tune both developmental processes and stress responses. Understanding the multifunctional mediators that play critical roles in both plant development and stress resilience is essential for advancing agricultural practices and ensuring food security. This knowledge is of utmost importance to face the unprecedented threats posed by ongoing climate change. This Special Issue aims to explore the diverse roles of these mediators, including their physiological, biochemical, and molecular mechanisms, as well as their practical applications.

Dr. Maurizio Trovato
Dr. Davide Marzi
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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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.

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

  • amino acids
  • polyphenols
  • polyamines
  • reactive oxygen species (ROS)
  • phytohormones
  • abiotic stress
  • plant development
  • plant physiology

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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22 pages, 3073 KB  
Article
Iodine-Enriched Urea Enhances Maize Tolerance to Water Deficit via Modulation of Pigments and Sugars
by Jucelino de Sousa Lima, Everton Geraldo de Morais, Leônidas Canuto dos Santos, Pedro Antônio Namorato Benevenute, Otávio Vitor Souza Andrade, Eduarda Santos de Andrade, Anyela Pierina Vega Quispe, João Victor da Costa Cezar, Paulo Eduardo Ribeiro Marchiori, Vitor de Laia Nascimento and Luiz Roberto Guimarães Guilherme
Plants 2026, 15(4), 606; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants15040606 - 14 Feb 2026
Viewed by 345
Abstract
Water deficit (WD) impairs maize growth, but the application of beneficial elements such as iodine (I) has shown potential to mitigate WD. Nevertheless, strategies for incorporating I into the soil are still needed. In this context, the present study incorporated I into urea [...] Read more.
Water deficit (WD) impairs maize growth, but the application of beneficial elements such as iodine (I) has shown potential to mitigate WD. Nevertheless, strategies for incorporating I into the soil are still needed. In this context, the present study incorporated I into urea (I-enriched urea) at different I rates (0, 750, 1500, and 3000 g I hectare−1) and evaluated its potential to alleviate WD in maize plants. For this purpose, maize plants were grown in Oxisol samples under simulated WD conditions and compared with plants grown without water limitation. Several parameters were evaluated during and after the stress period, including physiological parameters, pigment content, antioxidant activity, levels of compatible osmolytes, shoot dry matter, and shoot nitrogen (N) accumulation. Under WD conditions, the application of 1500 and 3000 g I hectare−1 via I-enriched urea, compared with no I application, increased the leaf electron transport rate and relative water content (RWC) while reducing membrane damage. These responses were directly associated with increased chlorophyll a, b, and total contents, and with lower levels of catalase and phenolic compounds. This effect also resulted in reduced superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels after the stress period. Moreover, in the first evaluation of irrigated plants, I-enriched urea promoted greater N uptake, increasing N accumulation in the shoot. Thus, the use of I-enriched urea at I application rates of 1500 and 3000 g I hectare−1 proved to be a promising strategy for mitigating WD. The results shown here have future implications that need validation under field conditions. Still, they suggest that I-enriched urea may be a viable agronomic approach to increase maize tolerance to WD and has high potential for integration into nutritional management strategies in environments subject to drought or irregular rainfall during maize growth. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Multifunctional Mediators in Plant Development and Stress Response)
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20 pages, 3498 KB  
Article
Nitric Oxide Functions as a Key Mediator in Brassinosteroid-Enhanced Alkaline Tolerance in Cucumber
by Wenjing Nie, Peng Qiao, Yinyu Gu, Qitong Huang, Jie Wang, Haiman Ge, Chi Zhang and Qinghua Shi
Plants 2025, 14(21), 3367; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14213367 - 3 Nov 2025
Viewed by 591
Abstract
This study investigated how exogenous 2,4-epibrassinolide (EBR) and nitric oxide (NO) enhance the tolerance of cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) seedlings to NaHCO3-induced alkaline stress under hydroponic conditions. NaHCO3 exposure caused severe sodium toxicity, reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation, and [...] Read more.
This study investigated how exogenous 2,4-epibrassinolide (EBR) and nitric oxide (NO) enhance the tolerance of cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) seedlings to NaHCO3-induced alkaline stress under hydroponic conditions. NaHCO3 exposure caused severe sodium toxicity, reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation, and photosynthetic inhibition, which, together, suppressed plant growth. Treatments with either EBR or NO significantly improved plant performance by alleviating these adverse effects. Both regulators enhanced the ROS scavenging system, maintained ionic homeostasis, and alleviated sodium toxicity. They also stimulated the activities of vacuolar H+-ATPase, H+-PPase, and plasma membrane H+-ATPase, and increased the accumulation of citric and malic acids, thereby sustaining higher photosynthetic efficiency under stress conditions. qRT-PCR analysis further revealed that EBR and NO upregulated SOS1 and NHX2 (sodium transporters) as well as PIP1;2 and PIP2;4 (aquaporins), confirming their involvement in ionic and osmotic regulation. Pharmacological experiments showed that application of NO synthesis inhibitors, including tungstate and L-NAME, as well as the NO scavenger cPTIO, markedly weakened the protective effects of EBR. In contrast, application of the brassinosteroid biosynthesis inhibitor brassinazole (BRz) only had a limited effect on NO-mediated stress tolerance. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that NO functions as a downstream signaling mediator of EBR, coordinating multiple defense pathways including photosynthetic regulation, antioxidant protection, ion balance, aquaporin activity, and organic acid metabolism to enhance cucumber resistance to alkaline stress. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Multifunctional Mediators in Plant Development and Stress Response)
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16 pages, 2374 KB  
Article
Exogenous Melatonin Enhances Salt-Stress Tolerance in Festuca elata via Growth and Physiological Improvements
by Bingqi Liu, Haimei Li, Xianhui Zhao, Junrui Wang and Yuting Zhang
Plants 2025, 14(17), 2661; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14172661 - 26 Aug 2025
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1138
Abstract
Salt stress is a major abiotic factor that inhibits plant growth. Melatonin (MT), an important plant growth regulator, can effectively enhance plant stress resistance. Festuca elata, a turfgrass species widely used in urban landscaping, was selected for this study to evaluate the [...] Read more.
Salt stress is a major abiotic factor that inhibits plant growth. Melatonin (MT), an important plant growth regulator, can effectively enhance plant stress resistance. Festuca elata, a turfgrass species widely used in urban landscaping, was selected for this study to evaluate the regulatory effects of exogenous MT at different concentrations on its growth and development under salt stress. Indoor pot experiments were conducted using Festuca elata as the plant material. The experiment included a 250 mM NaCl salt-stress treatment and foliar application of five MT concentrations (0 μM, 50 μM, 150 μM, 250 μM, and 350 μM) to assess their effects under salt stress. The results showed that salt stress severely inhibited the growth of Festuca elata, while all tested MT concentrations significantly alleviated the damage. MT treatments improved leaf area and plant height and increased relative water content, soluble protein, proline, chlorophyll, and carotenoid contents. Additionally, MT reduced malondialdehyde accumulation and enhanced superoxide dismutase and peroxidase activities. Among the tested concentrations, 150 μM MT showed the most effective alleviation of salt stress, indicating its strong potential for promoting Festuca elata cultivation in saline environments. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Multifunctional Mediators in Plant Development and Stress Response)
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14 pages, 2221 KB  
Article
Overexpression of Peony PoWOX1 Promotes Callus Induction and Root Development in Arabidopsis thaliana
by Xue Zhang, Tao Hu, Yanting Chang, Mengsi Xia, Yanjun Ma, Yayun Deng, Zehui Jiang and Wenbo Zhang
Plants 2025, 14(12), 1857; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14121857 - 17 Jun 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1126
Abstract
Plant-specific WUSCHEL (WUS)-related homeobox (WOX) family of transcription factors are involved in apical meristem maintenance, embryogenesis, lateral organ development, and hormone signaling. Among the members of this family, WOX1 is known to play essential roles in many species. However, the function of the [...] Read more.
Plant-specific WUSCHEL (WUS)-related homeobox (WOX) family of transcription factors are involved in apical meristem maintenance, embryogenesis, lateral organ development, and hormone signaling. Among the members of this family, WOX1 is known to play essential roles in many species. However, the function of the peony ‘Feng Dan’ (Paeonia ostii L.) WOX1 (PoWOX1) remains unknown. The initial bioinformatic analysis revealed that PoWOX1 belongs to the modern clade of the WOX gene family and has a highly conserved homeodomain (HD), the WUS motif, the STF-box, and the MAEWEST/WOX4-box. Subsequent heterologous overexpression in Arabidopsis thaliana revealed that PoWOX1 promotes root growth, early shoot initiation, and flowering. The root vascular tissues, especially the arrangement and size of xylem cells, were different between the PoWOX1-overexpressing transgenics and the wild-type plants, and the pericycle cells adjacent to the xylem divided more easily in the transgenics than in the wild type. Furthermore, under in vitro conditions, the transgenic leaf explants exhibited more callus induction and differentiation than the wild-type leaf explants. Thus, the study’s findings provide novel insights into the role of PoWOX1 in promoting root development and callus tissue induction and differentiation, serving as a reference for developing an efficient regeneration system for the peony. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Multifunctional Mediators in Plant Development and Stress Response)
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Review

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26 pages, 2185 KB  
Review
Proline and ROS: A Unified Mechanism in Plant Development and Stress Response?
by Marco Renzetti, Dietmar Funck and Maurizio Trovato
Plants 2025, 14(1), 2; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14010002 - 24 Dec 2024
Cited by 99 | Viewed by 10438
Abstract
The proteinogenic amino acid proline plays crucial roles in both plant development and stress responses, far exceeding its role in protein synthesis. However, the molecular mechanisms and the relative importance of these additional functions of proline remain under study. It is well documented [...] Read more.
The proteinogenic amino acid proline plays crucial roles in both plant development and stress responses, far exceeding its role in protein synthesis. However, the molecular mechanisms and the relative importance of these additional functions of proline remain under study. It is well documented that both stress responses and developmental processes are associated with proline accumulation. Under stress conditions, proline is believed to confer stress tolerance, while under physiological conditions, it assists in developmental processes, particularly during the reproductive phase. Due to proline’s properties as a compatible osmolyte and potential reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenger, most of its beneficial effects have historically been attributed to the physicochemical consequences of its accumulation in plants. However, emerging evidence points to proline metabolism as the primary driver of these beneficial effects. Recent reports have shown that proline metabolism, in addition to supporting reproductive development, can modulate root meristem size by controlling ROS accumulation and distribution in the root meristem. The dynamic interplay between proline and ROS highlights a sophisticated regulatory network essential for plant resilience and survival. This fine-tuning mechanism, enabled by the pro-oxidant and antioxidant properties of compartmentalized proline metabolism, can modulate redox balance and ROS homeostasis, potentially explaining many of the multiple roles attributed to proline. This review uniquely integrates recent findings on the dual role of proline in both ROS scavenging and signaling, provides an updated overview of the most recent research published to date, and proposes a unified mechanism that could account for many of the multiple roles assigned to proline in plant development and stress defense. By focusing on the interplay between proline and ROS, we aim to provide a comprehensive understanding of this proposed mechanism and highlight the potential applications in improving crop resilience to environmental stress. Additionally, we address current gaps in understanding and suggest future research directions to further elucidate the complex roles of proline in plant biology. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Multifunctional Mediators in Plant Development and Stress Response)
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