Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
5.7
3.6
Journals
Biology
Special Issues
The Potential of Genetics and Plant Breeding in Crop Improvement
share announcement

The Potential of Genetics and Plant Breeding in Crop Improvement

A special issue of Biology (ISSN 2079-7737). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant Science".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2025 | Viewed by 680

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Jianyan Zeng

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
Interests: crop resistance; phytohormone; cell expansion; secondary metabolism; plant signaling pathways
Prof. Dr. Yuanzhong Jiang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Key Laboratory for Bio-Resources and Eco-Environment of Ministry of Education, College of Life Science, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China
Interests: abiotic stress; molecular biology; tree breeding; gene regulation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Chengjian Xie

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Life Science, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing 401331, China
Interests: plant-microbe interaction; biological control; plant defense mechanisms; fungal pathogenesis

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Genetics and plant breeding are experiencing rapid progress, notably through molecular design in crop improvement. This field incorporates essential technologies such as genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics, gene transformation, molecular biology, biochemistry, molecular breeding, and genomic editing. These technologies have yielded notable achievements, particularly in understanding crop origins, evolution, growth, development, quality, and stress responses. This Special Issue on “The Potential of Genetics and Plant Breeding in Crop Improvement” provides a platform for researchers, breeders, and agricultural scientists to exchange the latest advancements and explore future research directions, aiming to drive scientific progress and foster innovation in crop improvement. By gaining insights into pivotal research developments in genetics, biotechnology, and molecular breeding, it advances crop breeding and optimizes the use of germplasm resources.

In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following:

  1. Growth and Development: Researching the genetic and environmental factors that regulate plant growth patterns and reproductive development.
  2. Quality Formation: Identifying the genetic and biochemical processes that determine the nutritional and organoleptic qualities of plants.
  3. Stress Response: Understanding the mechanisms by which plants respond to environmental stresses, such as drought, salinity, heavy metal, and disease.
  4. Genomics and Transcriptomics: Exploring the genetic basis of plant traits and the expression patterns that influence yield and quality.
  5. Proteomics and Metabolomics: Analyzing the protein and metabolic profiles crucial for stress tolerance and nutritional content in plants.
  6. Gene Transformation: Investigating the integration and expression of foreign genes in plants to enhance desired traits.
  7. Molecular Biology and Biochemistry: Studying the molecular mechanisms and biochemical pathways involved in plant growth and development.
  8. Molecular Breeding: Utilizing marker-assisted selection and other molecular techniques to develop new crop varieties with improved characteristics.
  9. Genome Editing: Employing CRISPR/Cas9 and other tools for precise genetic modifications to achieve crop improvement.
  10. Origin and Evolution: Examining the evolutionary history of crops to understand the basis of their adaptability and potential for future breeding.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Jianyan Zeng
Dr. Yuanzhong Jiang
Prof. Dr. Chengjian Xie
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. Biology 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 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

  • plants
  • plant signaling pathways
  • growth and development
  • genomics
  • transcriptomics
  • proteomics
  • metabolomics
  • gene transformation
  • molecular biology
  • biochemistry
  • molecular breeding
  • genome editing
  • CRISPR/Cas9
  • marker-assisted selection
  • genome-wide selection
  • crop improvement
  • genetic diversity
  • quality traits
  • yield
  • disease resistance
  • environmental stress
  • plant-microbe interactions
  • drought tolerance
  • salinity resistance
  • oxidative stress
  • phytohormone

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (2 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

17 pages, 1383 KiB  
Article
Arabidopsis P4-ATPases ALA1 and ALA7 Enhance Resistance to Verticillium dahliae via Detoxifying Vd-Toxins
by Fanlong Wang, Mingliang Qiu, Xiaoxia Yao, Jiancong Li, Hui Ren, Mei Su, Jiaohuan Shen, Caiwang Li, Qian Jiang, Zixuan Zhang, Yundi Li, Jiyu Tang, Xianbi Li, Yanhua Fan and Yan Pei
Biology 2025, 14(6), 595; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology14060595 - 23 May 2025
Abstract
Background: Verticillium wilt, which is a soil-borne vascular disease, causes serious economic losses worldwide. Various toxins secreted by V. dahliae are key factors that lead to wilt symptoms. Methods: The Vd-toxins CIA, indazole, and 3ICD were labeled with fluorescence groups, respectively, to observe [...] Read more.
Background: Verticillium wilt, which is a soil-borne vascular disease, causes serious economic losses worldwide. Various toxins secreted by V. dahliae are key factors that lead to wilt symptoms. Methods: The Vd-toxins CIA, indazole, and 3ICD were labeled with fluorescence groups, respectively, to observe the transport pathway. Transcriptome sequencing and qRT-PCR were employed to assess the expression patterns under Vd-toxin treatment. Results: AtALA1 and AtALA7 were up-regulated by V. dahliae and LC-toxins, and overexpression of either AtALA1 or AtALA7 increased Arabidopsis resistance against LC-toxins. Overexpression of AtALA1 improved the resistance of Arabidopsis to 4MBA, 3ICD, and indazole, while AtALA7 enhanced resistance to 4MBA, 3ICD, and CIA. AtALA7-overexpressing plants showed a stronger capability to transport CIAFITC and 3ICD5-FAM into vacuoles, while AtALA1-overexpressing plants accumulated indazole5-FAM and 3ICD5-FAM. Aggregation of AtALA1 and AtALA7 enhances the resistance of plants to V. dahliae. Conclusions: Arabidopsis P4-ATPase genes AtALA1 and AtALA7 mediated cell detoxification by transporting different Vd-toxins to vacuoles for degradation, thereby increasing resistance to Verticillium wilt. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Potential of Genetics and Plant Breeding in Crop Improvement)
17 pages, 11525 KiB  
Article
Alpine Adaptive Mechanism on Rhizosphere Microbes Recruitment of Crepis napifera (Franch.) Babc. by Multi-Omics Analysis
by Genlin Yang, Weiwei Liu, Xinchun Mo and Zhinan Mei
Biology 2025, 14(4), 345; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology14040345 - 27 Mar 2025
Viewed by 373
Abstract
Background: The accumulation of secondary metabolites in medicinal plants is often influenced by a variety of factors, and rhizosphere microorganisms typically engage in complex interactions with their host plants. Crepis napifera (Franch.) Babc., a regionally significant medicinal plant, contains a diverse array of [...] Read more.
Background: The accumulation of secondary metabolites in medicinal plants is often influenced by a variety of factors, and rhizosphere microorganisms typically engage in complex interactions with their host plants. Crepis napifera (Franch.) Babc., a regionally significant medicinal plant, contains a diverse array of terpenoids and demonstrates substantial potential for resource development and utilization. Methods: Transcriptome sequencing, metabolomic profiling, and 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing were employed to assess the transcriptional expression patterns, metabolic variations, and rhizosphere microbial community composition of C. napifera (Franch.) Babc. roots distributed across various regions. Results: A total of 3679, 8615, and 11,333 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in the pairwise comparisons between H1 vs. H2, H2 vs. H3, and H1 vs. H3, respectively. Notably, 497 DEGs were consistently detected across all three comparisons. Additionally, Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis (WGCNA) revealed that the expression levels of genes within the turquoise and yellow modules exhibited a significant positive correlation with elevation. In total, 462 differentially expressed metabolites (DEMs) were identified across the same comparisons. Among these compounds, terpenoids, phenolic acids, amino acids and their derivatives, lipids, and alkaloids accounted for 62.98% of the total differential metabolite content. The accumulation patterns of DEMs varied significantly across different regions in the roots of C. napifera (Franch.) Babc. under the three altitude conditions. In response to environmental conditions and the survival strategy of C. napifera (Franch.) Babc. in alpine areas, an investigation into the rhizosphere microbial community was conducted. Four key microbial genera were identified as being correlated with terpenoid biosynthesis and plant nutritional metabolism. Specifically, Pedosphaera, Acidothermus, and Nevskia exhibited terpene biosynthesis capabilities. Additionally, Herbaspirillum, a common microorganism involved in plant nitrogen fixation, respiration, carbon metabolism, and cell wall metabolism, was also enriched in the rhizosphere of C. napifera (Franch.) Babc. These findings suggested that C. napifera (Franch.) Babc. might recruit these microorganisms to enhance its resistance to environmental stress in alpine areas. Conclusions: The accumulation of terpene in C. napifera (Franch.) Babc. across different regions was influenced by transcriptional changes. The rhizosphere microbial communities also changed during this process, showing a recruitment effect that enhances plant growth and offers potential value. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Potential of Genetics and Plant Breeding in Crop Improvement)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-2
Back to TopTop