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Agronomy
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New Insights into Plants’ Defense Mechanisms against Stresses
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New Insights into Plants’ Defense Mechanisms against Stresses

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 November 2024) | Viewed by 8439

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Iwona Sadura

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Polish Academy of Sciences, The Franciszek Górski Institute of Plant Physiology, Niezapominajek 21, 30-239 Krakow, Poland
Interests: brassinosteroids; abiotic stress; temperature stress; cell membranes
Dr. Maciej Grzesiak

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
F. Górski Institute of Plant Physiology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Niezpominajek 21, 30-239 Krakow, Poland
Interests: abiotic stresses; physiological indexes of plant susceptibility to stress factors

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Plants are exposed to many environmental factors, both biotic (e.g., pathogen infection) and abiotic (e.g., drought, heavy metals, high soil salinity, changes in temperature and light, and UV radiation). These various environmental stresses lead to the activation of plant defense mechanisms, which include the accumulation of low-molecular-weight metabolites, synthesis of special proteins, detoxification mechanisms and changes in phytohormone levels, among others. These processes are important factors in the adaptation of plants to a changing environment, which is also associated with increased chances for their survival and reproduction.

This Special Issue will be focused on “New Insights into Plants’ Defense Mechanisms against Environmetal Stresses”. We are open to novel research papers, reviews and opinion articles describing recent advances in plants’ defense mechanisms against environmental stresses, both biotic and abiotic, such as pathogen infection, drought, extreme temperatures, high salinity of soil, UV radiation, etc.

Dr. Iwona Sadura
Dr. Maciej Grzesiak
Guest Editors

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 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

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

  • environmental stress
  • biotic stress
  • abiotic stress
  • stress tolerance
  • stress responses
  • plant breeding
  • plants’ defense mechanisms

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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16 pages, 3730 KiB  
Article
Comparative Transcriptome and Weighted Gene Co-Expression Network Analysis of Eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) Reveals Key Genes Responding to Ralstonia solanacearum Infection
by Chuying Yu, Weiliu Li, Rui Xiang, Qihong Yang, Yaqin Jiang, Guiyun Gan, Liangyu Cai, Wenjia Li and Yikui Wang
Agronomy 2024, 14(12), 3016; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy14123016 - 18 Dec 2024
Viewed by 693
Abstract
Eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) is a widely cultivated vegetable belonging to the family Solanaceae. However, it is highly susceptible to yield reduction owing to soil-borne diseases caused by bacterial wilt (BW) (Ralstonia solanacearum L.). Therefore, understanding the mechanism of bacterial [...] Read more.
Eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) is a widely cultivated vegetable belonging to the family Solanaceae. However, it is highly susceptible to yield reduction owing to soil-borne diseases caused by bacterial wilt (BW) (Ralstonia solanacearum L.). Therefore, understanding the mechanism of bacterial wilt resistance in eggplant is helpful for genetic improvement to create cultivars with strong bacterial wilt resistance. In this study, we conducted a comparative analysis of transcriptomics from eggplant varieties of different genotypes following infection with R. solanacearum. Transcriptome analysis revealed the majority of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) primarily implicated in pathways such as the MAPK signaling pathway, plant hormone signal transduction, and plant–pathogen interactions, as determined using Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis. The expression profiles of hormone pathway genes suggest that salicylic acid, ethylene, and jasmonic acid may play significant roles in conferring bacterial wilt resistance. DEGs from the leaves, roots, and stems were partitioned into 14 modules. Among these, the black module exhibited the strongest correlation with target traits and 16 hub genes were identified using gene co-expression network analysis. Subsequently, seven hub genes were selected for validation using RT-qPCR, and the results were consistent with the RNA-seq data. Notably, upon gene annotation, a significant proportion of the hub genes were annotated as heat shock proteins (HSPs) or heat shock transcription factors (HSFs). These findings offer valuable insights for advancing research on the molecular genetic mechanisms through which HSPs/HSFs contribute to bacterial wilt resistance in eggplant. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Insights into Plants’ Defense Mechanisms against Stresses)
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17 pages, 8090 KiB  
Article
Multi-Omics Analysis Reveals the Molecular Mechanisms of the Glycolysis and TCA Cycle Pathways in Rhododendron chrysanthum Pall. under UV-B Stress
by Wang Yu, Fushuai Gong, Kun Cao, Xiaofu Zhou and Hongwei Xu
Agronomy 2024, 14(9), 1996; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy14091996 - 2 Sep 2024
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1145
Abstract
UV-B radiation is becoming a bigger threat to plants as a result of the ozone layer’s depletion. As an alpine plant, Rhododendron chrysanthum Pall. (R. chrysanthum) may grow regularly under UV-B radiation throughout its lengthy acclimatization period, although the mechanism of [...] Read more.
UV-B radiation is becoming a bigger threat to plants as a result of the ozone layer’s depletion. As an alpine plant, Rhododendron chrysanthum Pall. (R. chrysanthum) may grow regularly under UV-B radiation throughout its lengthy acclimatization period, although the mechanism of acclimatization is still poorly understood. The current investigation uncovered a number of adaptation strategies that R. chrysanthum has developed in reaction to UV-B rays. UV-B radiation impeded photosynthesis and damaged the photosystem, according to OJIP testing. Through transcriptomics and proteomics analyses, this study found that the differential proteins and differential genes of R. chrysanthum were significantly enriched in glycolysis and tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle pathways after UV-B treatment. The metabolomics results showed that a total of eight differential metabolites were detected in the glycolytic and TCA cycle pathways, and the changes in the expression of these metabolites reflected the final outcome of gene regulation in the glycolytic and TCA cycle pathways. The combined experimental results demonstrated that R. chrysanthum’s photosynthetic system was impacted by UV-B stress and, concurrently, the plant activated an adaptation mechanism in response to the stress. To maintain its energy supply for growth, R. chrysanthum adapts to UV-B stress by adjusting the expression of the relevant proteins, genes, and metabolites in the glycolytic and TCA cycling pathways. This study provides a new perspective for understanding the changes in the carbon metabolism of R. chrysanthum under UV-B stress and its mechanisms for UV-B resistance, and provides an important theoretical basis for the study of enhancing plant resistance to stress. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Insights into Plants’ Defense Mechanisms against Stresses)
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17 pages, 4926 KiB  
Article
Genomic Identification of Callose Synthase (CalS) Gene Family in Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) and Comparative In Silico Expression Analysis under Aphid (Melanaphis sacchari) Infestation
by Kunliang Zou, Yang Liu, Tonghan Wang, Minghui Guan, Xiaofei Li, Jieqin Li, Haibing Yu, Degong Wu and Junli Du
Agronomy 2024, 14(7), 1393; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy14071393 - 27 Jun 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1332
Abstract
Callose is widely present in higher plants and plays a significant role in plant growth, development, and response to various stresses. Although numerous studies have highlighted the importance of the callose synthase (CalS) genes, their role in the resistance of sorghum [...] Read more.
Callose is widely present in higher plants and plays a significant role in plant growth, development, and response to various stresses. Although numerous studies have highlighted the importance of the callose synthase (CalS) genes, their role in the resistance of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) to aphids (Melanaphis sacchari) remains limitedly understood. This study identified 11 sorghum callose synthase genes (SbCalS), unevenly distributed across four chromosomes of sorghum. All SbCalS proteins contain glucan synthase and Fks1 domains, with segmental duplication playing a major role in gene diversification. Cis-element prediction revealed the presence of numerous stress-responsive elements, indicating that this gene family is primarily involved in stress resistance. Using published RNA-seq data, we discovered the differential expression of the SbCalS5 gene between resistant and susceptible sorghum varieties. Real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) analysis confirmed the relative expression levels of all SbCalS members under aphid stress. To further verify the role of callose in sorghum, we measured the callose content in both resistant and susceptible sorghum varieties. The results indicated that callose plays a critical role in aphid resistance in sorghum, particularly the SbCalS5 gene. This study provides a reference for further investigation into the role of callose synthase genes in sorghum aphid resistance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Insights into Plants’ Defense Mechanisms against Stresses)
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Review

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15 pages, 995 KiB  
Review
Are Heat Shock Proteins Important in Low-Temperature-Stressed Plants? A Minireview
by Iwona Sadura and Anna Janeczko
Agronomy 2024, 14(6), 1296; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy14061296 - 15 Jun 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2634
Abstract
Heat shock proteins (HSPs) are mainly known to play important roles in plants against high-temperature (HT) stress. Their main function is to act as molecular chaperones for other proteins. It has also been proven that HSPs have a protective effect during other environmental [...] Read more.
Heat shock proteins (HSPs) are mainly known to play important roles in plants against high-temperature (HT) stress. Their main function is to act as molecular chaperones for other proteins. It has also been proven that HSPs have a protective effect during other environmental stresses including low temperature (LT). To the best of our knowledge, the expression and role of HSPs in plants that have been exposed to LT have not yet been sufficiently reviewed. The aims of this minireview were (1) to briefly describe the origin, classification, structure, localisation and functions of HSPs, (2) to present the current knowledge about the changes in the accumulation of HSPs in plants that have been exposed to LT, (3) to discuss some of the molecular changes that occur during LT action and that lead to the accumulation of HSPs in plants and (4) to discuss the potential role of HSPs in acquiring tolerance to cold and frost in plants including economically important crop species. Some directions of research on the role of HSPs in plants growing in LT conditions are proposed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Insights into Plants’ Defense Mechanisms against Stresses)
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17 pages, 1238 KiB  
Review
Physiological and Biochemical Background of Deacclimation in Plants, with Special Attention Being Paid to Crops: A Minireview
by Julia Stachurska and Anna Janeczko
Agronomy 2024, 14(3), 419; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy14030419 - 21 Feb 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1583
Abstract
Global climate change, which is connected to global warming and changes in weather patterns, affects various parts of the environment, including the growth/development of plants. Generally, a number of plant species are capable of acquiring tolerance to frost after exposure to cold (in [...] Read more.
Global climate change, which is connected to global warming and changes in weather patterns, affects various parts of the environment, including the growth/development of plants. Generally, a number of plant species are capable of acquiring tolerance to frost after exposure to cold (in the cold-acclimation/cold-hardening process). In the last few decades, there have been more and more frequent periods of higher temperatures—warm periods that, e.g., break down the process of cold acclimation. This generates deacclimation, which could stimulate growth and lower frost tolerance in plants. Generally, deacclimation causes the reversal of changes induced by cold acclimation (i.e., in concentration of sugars, accumulation of protective proteins, or hormonal homeostasis). Unlike cold acclimation, the phenomenon of deacclimation has been less studied. The aim of this article was (1) to briefly describe the problem of deacclimation, with more attention being paid to its significance for economically important winter crop species, (2) to review and characterize the physiological-biochemical changes that are induced in plants by deacclimation, and (3) to discuss the possibilities of detecting deacclimation earlier in order to counteract its effects on crops. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Insights into Plants’ Defense Mechanisms against Stresses)
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