Molecular Advances in Plant Plasticity upon Abiotic Stresses

Dear Colleagues,

Plants are sessile organisms that must cope with a diversity of environmental constraints, including a wide range of abiotic stresses. When growing under any abiotic stress factor, plants must efficiently adjust their molecular programs, leading to physiological changes that allow them to proceed with their normal growth and development. This capacity to efficiently adapt (plant plasticity) is of high interest in agronomic systems as it represents a reduction in the negative impact of those stress factors on crop yield. Differences in plant plasticity are usually related to variability at the genomic level, including the existence of functional polymorphisms (e.g., InDels, SNPs) or epigenetic events (e.g., methylation, transposons, or microRNAs) that modulate gene expression patterns. Various approaches have been employed to identify the mechanisms underlying plant plasticity, encompassing the study of genes, proteins, metabolites, and the regulatory mechanisms acting at those levels.

This Special Issue is supervised by Dr. Hélia Cardoso, Dr. Catarina Campos, and assisted by our Topical Advisory Panel Member Dr. Lénia Rodrigues. We aim to focus on research that advances our understanding of the molecular, biochemical, and physiological mechanisms involved in plant plasticity under abiotic stress constraints. Additionally, we also aim to explore the application of this knowledge in the development of more resilient genotypes, including the development of markers to support breeding programs.

Dr. Hélia Cardoso
Dr. Catarina Campos
Guest Editors

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