Molecular and Structural Research Advances in Model Plants (Second Edition)

Dear Colleagues,

Model plants, grown from seed as well as tissue or cellular culture, help researchers to study key biological phenomena, processes, and characteristics that are useful for understanding the consequences of natural mutations, the adaptation of plants to harsh environments or changing climates, plant ecology and evolution, as well as polyploidization. Following the adoption of Arabidopsis thaliana as the primary plant model, plant science has entered the era of molecular biology and genetics, in which traits could be studied at the molecular level. With the availability of new ‘omics’ tools, new plant models are being added to our collection at an unprecedented speed, and old non-model plant models are, in many regards, elevated to proper model system status. Emerging new candidate model plant species will be widely used to simulate various morphological, physiological, and molecular processes in plants, allowing for a more accurate understanding of the mechanisms explaining plant ontogenesis and, in general, plant functions. Some examples of such plants are as follows: Marchantia polymorpha (common liverwort), Physcomitrella patens (earthmoss), Brachypodium distachyon (stiff brome), Setaria viridis (green foxtail), Phragmites australis (common reed), Cardamine hirsuta (hairy bittercress), Pisum sativum (pea), Zea mays (corn), Antirrhinum sp. (snapdragon), Populus sp. (poplar), algal models, etc. Therefore, this Special Issue focuses on research advances in regard to using model plants, with an emphasis on elucidating the molecular/cellular/physiological mechanisms governing key processes or even morphological/anatomical adaptations. We encourage novices and experienced scientists to contribute original research papers and reviews on the above subject. Contributions at the organism, cellular, molecular, and -omic levels are highly welcome.

Dr. Ioannis-Dimosthenis Adamakis
Guest Editor

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