Evolutionary Mechanisms and Molecular Regulatory Networks of Plant Breeding Systems
A special issue of Agronomy (ISSN 2073-4395). This special issue belongs to the section "Crop Breeding and Genetics".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 July 2026
Special Issue Editor
Interests: evolution, and molecular mechanisms of plant breeding systems; adaptive evolution and molecular mechanisms of key innovations in plants
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Plant breeding systems governing sexual reproduction and asexual reproduction are pivotal for plant evolution and crop yields, and their evolutionary and ecological importance has been studied since Darwin. Modern biology now seeks to decode their underlying molecular blueprints, and the field now integrates multi-omics and molecular biology to unravel the mechanisms of plant breeding systems. This Special Issue aims to link evolutionary mechanisms with the genetic regulatory networks controlling reproduction processes such as floral development (morphological traits, patterns, and longevity of various floral parts), flower–pollinator interactions, mating strategies, self-incompatibility, sex determination, and so forth. We seek to highlight cutting-edge studies using multi-omics, molecular technologies, and genetics to decode the evolution and regulations of such processes. We solicit papers, including original research and reviews, on the molecular basis of reproductive traits, the genomic signatures of mating and breeding system evolution, and the evolutionary genomics of plant reproduction and evolutionary dynamics. This Special Issue will provide therefore a platform for interdisciplinary research, advancing both plant fundamental knowledge and applied crop breeding strategies.
Prof. Dr. Xiaokai Ma
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.
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. Agronomy is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly 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 2600 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
- plant breeding systems
- multi-omics
- evolutionary genomics
- flower-pollinator interactions
- floral development
- mating strategies
- self-incompatibility
- sex determination
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