Cellular and Molecular Basis of Horticultural Crop Resilience

A special issue of Agronomy (ISSN 2073-4395). This special issue belongs to the section "Horticultural and Floricultural Crops".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 July 2026 | Viewed by 896

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
College of Horticulture, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
Interests: abiotic stress; phytohormones; photosynthesis; stomatal movement; mesophyll conductance

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Horticulture, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
Interests: alkaline stress; γ-aminobutyric acid; drought; low temperature; fruit trees; transcriptional regulation; plant hormones

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Horticulture, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
Interests: plant hormones; abiotic stress; vegetables; antioxidants; plant molecular biology

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Horticultural crops are vital for food, nutrition, and economic value, yet their productivity and quality are frequently affected by various abiotic and biotic stresses. Understanding the mechanisms that enable plants to sense, respond, and adapt to these challenges is essential for sustainable production. This Special Issue, “Cellular and Molecular Basis of Horticultural Crop Resilience,” focuses on elucidating cellular processes and molecular mechanisms underlying stress perception, signaling, and adaptation in horticultural species. We welcome studies exploring stress signaling, gene regulation, hormonal crosstalk, cellular homeostasis, and metabolic reprogramming. Integrative multi-omics, functional genomics, and translational research linking molecular insights to improved stress tolerance and breeding innovation are particularly encouraged. Original research articles, reviews, and short communications addressing molecular or physiological bases of crop resilience are all welcome.

Dr. Kehao Liang
Dr. Yuxing Li
Prof. Dr. Yi Tang
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • horticultural crops
  • multi-omics integration
  • genome editing
  • abiotic and biotic stress
  • metabolic pathways
  • plant hormones
  • transcriptional and epigenetic regulation

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

24 pages, 4809 KB  
Article
Transcriptomics and Hormone-Targeted Metabolomics Reveal the Mechanisms Underlying Special Branching in Loquat
by Xinyu Li, Chaoyue Feng, Rong Su, Panhui Song, Xuemei Peng, Jiayun Zhou, Yuxing Li and Qunxian Deng
Agronomy 2026, 16(1), 37; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy16010037 - 22 Dec 2025
Viewed by 610
Abstract
Branching traits play a critical role in shaping the tree structure of fruit crops and directly influence both yield and fruit quality. Effective and well-managed branching is crucial for maximizing productivity. However, loquat trees typically exhibit weak branching ability, characterized by fewer and [...] Read more.
Branching traits play a critical role in shaping the tree structure of fruit crops and directly influence both yield and fruit quality. Effective and well-managed branching is crucial for maximizing productivity. However, loquat trees typically exhibit weak branching ability, characterized by fewer and longer bearing shoots, along with terminal flower buds, which collectively result in lower yields per unit area. Despite their significance, research on branching characteristics in loquat remains limited. To clarify the factors influencing branching and to provide a rational and effective direction for improving the inherently weak branching performance of current loquat cultivars, we selected the loquat varieties ‘Dawuxing’ and ‘Chunhua 1’, which exhibit significant differences in leaf and branch growth. Compared to ‘Dawuxing’, ‘Chunhua 1’ has longer branches, wider stem and leaf angles, fewer lateral branches, and a looser leaf cell structure. Transcriptome analysis of terminal buds at different developmental stages revealed that differentially expressed genes in the terminal buds of central branches from the spring and summer shoots of the two cultivars were enriched in the plant hormone signal transduction pathway. Hormone-targeted metabolomics identified significant differences in the levels of abscisic acid, auxins, cytokinins, gibberellins, jasmonic acid, and strigolactones in the terminal buds of both cultivars. Through integrated analysis, two candidate genes were identified as potential regulators of branching differences between the two cultivars: EVM0025028 (EjSAPK1), SnRK2 gene a core component of the abscisic acid signaling pathway, and EVM0040331 (EjRMS3), a D14 gene involved in encoding a strigolactone receptor. These findings provide valuable genetic resources for future research on branching regulation in Eriobotrya species and offer a theoretical foundation for enhancing branching management in loquat cultivation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cellular and Molecular Basis of Horticultural Crop Resilience)
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