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Phytochemical Dynamics: Plant Metabolite Responses to Environmental Factors
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Phytochemical Dynamics: Plant Metabolite Responses to Environmental Factors

A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Plant Sciences".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 July 2026 | Viewed by 4862

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Ivana Sola

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, 10 000 Zagreb, Croatia
Interests: phytochemistry; plant bioactive compounds; plant specialized metabolism
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We invite researchers to submit their manuscripts exploring the intricate interactions between plant metabolites (phytochemicals) and environmental influences. This Special Issue aims to showcase groundbreaking research on how plants adapt their metabolite profiles in response to various biotic and abiotic factors. Understanding these dynamic responses is essential for achieving advancements in agriculture, ecology, pharmacology, and biotechnology. We seek contributions that delve into the biochemical pathways, ecological functions, and potential applications of plant metabolites in a changing environment.

Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:

Environmental Stressors and Metabolite Changes:

  • Impact of drought, salinity, temperature fluctuations, light conditions, and nutrient availability on phytochemical production.

Biotic Interactions:

  • Plant responses to pathogens, herbivory, and symbiotic relationships (e.g., mycorrhizal associations) and their effects on metabolite profiles.
Specialized Metabolites Biosynthesis:
  • Pathways involved in the production of alkaloids, flavonoids, terpenoids, phenolics, and other phytochemicals.

Ecological and Evolutionary Roles of Phytochemicals:

  • How metabolites contribute to plant defence, pollination, and overall ecological fitness.

Omics Approaches and Metabolomics:

  • Use of genomics, proteomics, and metabolomics in understanding phytochemical regulation under environmental stress.

Adaptive Mechanisms and Plasticity:

  • Mechanisms driving metabolite plasticity, including epigenetic changes and hormonal regulation.

Agricultural and Medicinal Applications:

  • Harnessing phytochemical responses for crop improvement, pest management, and the discovery of novel medicinal compounds.

Climate Change and Global Shifts:

  • How climate change is influencing phytochemical production and plant adaptation on a global scale.

We welcome a wide range of manuscript types, including original research articles, reviews, meta-analyses, and case studies.

Dr. Ivana Sola
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. International Journal of Molecular Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. There is an Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal. For details about the APC please see here. 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 metabolites
  • phytochemicals
  • biotic and abiotic factors
  • environmental influences
  • biochemical pathways
  • interactions

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

21 pages, 3109 KB  
Article
Salicylic Acid-Induced Elicitation of Nepetalactone and Rosmarinic Acid Biosynthesis in Naked Catmint (Nepeta nuda L.): Metabolomic and Transcriptional Insights
by Luka Petrović, Slavica Dmitrović, Jasmina Nestorović Živković, Biljana Filipović, Neda Popović, Milica Milutinović, Dragana Matekalo, Uroš Gašić, Danijela Mišić and Marijana Skorić
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2026, 27(8), 3570; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms27083570 - 16 Apr 2026
Viewed by 337
Abstract
Salicylic acid (SA) is involved in plant defense responses to environmental stressors by modulating gene expression and specialized metabolites production, enhancing plant adaptive resilience through systemic signaling pathways. This study investigates the impact of exogenous application of SA on the metabolism of iridoids [...] Read more.
Salicylic acid (SA) is involved in plant defense responses to environmental stressors by modulating gene expression and specialized metabolites production, enhancing plant adaptive resilience through systemic signaling pathways. This study investigates the impact of exogenous application of SA on the metabolism of iridoids and phenolic compounds—characteristic specialized metabolites of the Nepeta species, associated with diverse biological activities. Nepetalactone (NL) is a characteristic monoterpene iridoid, while rosmarinic acid (RA) represents the most abundant phenolic compound within the genus. We explored the effects of varying SA concentrations (2 µM, 5 µM, 10 µM, and 20 µM) on iridoid and phenolic metabolism in in vitro-grown Nepeta nuda, following 7 days and 28 days of elicitation. A significant increase in trans,trans-NL content was observed after 7-day exposure to 2 µM SA, while prolonged exposure led to a decrease in its levels, particularly at higher SA concentrations. Gene expression analysis revealed that 7 days of exposure to lower concentrations of SA upregulated genes coding for NAD-dependent nepetalactol-related short-chain dehydrogenase/reductases (NEPSs), key regulatory enzymes catalyzing the final steps of NL biosynthesis. In contrast, prolonged exposure to 20 µM SA downregulated genes coding for geraniol 8-hydroxylase (NnG8H) and 8-hydroxygeraniol oxidoreductase (Nn8HGO), which resulted in reduced iridoid content. Conversely, SA treatment notably increased RA content after prolonged exposure to 20 µM SA, which is a result of the enhanced expression of all analyzed RA biosynthesis-related genes. These findings demonstrate that both concentration and duration of SA treatment are critical determinants of elicitation outcomes in N. nuda. Strategic manipulation of these parameters can redirect metabolic flux toward either iridoid or phenolic compounds production, and enhance biotechnological production of specialized metabolites in N. nuda. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phytochemical Dynamics: Plant Metabolite Responses to Environmental Factors)
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21 pages, 745 KB  
Article
Changes in Phytochemical, Physiological, and Morphological Traits in Pelargonium graveolens as Affected by Drought Stress and Ascophyllum nodosum Extract
by Negar Gerami, Mehdi Rahimmalek, Mahdiyeh Gholami, Behnaz Tohidi and Antoni Szumny
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26(18), 9210; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26189210 - 20 Sep 2025
Viewed by 1289
Abstract
Nowadays, the use of natural biological bio-stimulants such as seaweed extract (SWE) is highly considered for alleviating the adverse effects of drought stress in many plant species. This study evaluated the effects of drought stress and foliar application of seaweed extract (SWE) on [...] Read more.
Nowadays, the use of natural biological bio-stimulants such as seaweed extract (SWE) is highly considered for alleviating the adverse effects of drought stress in many plant species. This study evaluated the effects of drought stress and foliar application of seaweed extract (SWE) on the morphological, physiological, and phytochemical traits of Pelargonium graveolens. Three levels of water irrigation regimes were used in combination with four SWE concentrations (0, 2.5, 5, and 7.5 mL L−1). Based on the GC-MS analysis, 83 compounds were identified, of which citronellol, citronellyl formate, α-gurjunene, δ-cadinene, and γ-cadinene were the major constituents of P. graveolens leaves. The highest citronellol content (56.2%) was found under moderate irrigation with 5 mL of L−1 SWE, while the lowest amount (26.78%) was obtained under full irrigation with no foliar application of SWE. Citronellyl formate and α-gurjunene exhibited their highest relative abundance under non-stress conditions following foliar application of 5 mL L−1 and 0 mL L−1 of SWE, respectively. In contrast, δ-cadinene reached its highest value under severe drought stress when treated with 7.5 mL of L−1 SWE, indicating a stress-responsive shift in essential oil (EO) composition profile. Principal component analysis (PCA) revealed that full irrigation with 7.5 mL of L−1 SWE and mild drought with 5 mL of L−1 SWE were the best treatments for ameliorating the EO content and composition. ANOVA revealed that SWE significantly improved the fresh root weight, leaf dimensions, carotenoids, total chlorophyll, protein content, and antioxidant enzyme activities. The 7.5 mL of L−1 SWE treatment notably increased fresh root weight by 29.16% and enhanced chlorophyll and protein levels under moderate and severe drought conditions. Drought stress reduced shoot biomass but had no significant effect on chlorophyll content. Carotenoid and antioxidant activities were significantly influenced by both drought and SWE, with the highest levels observed at 5 mL of L−1 SWE. Antioxidant enzymes (CAT, SOD, and guaiacol peroxidase) and total antioxidant activity were enhanced by SWE and its interaction with drought stress conditions. These results suggest that foliar SWE application at 5–7.5 mL L−1 effectively mitigates drought stress and enhances both growth and EO composition in P. graveolens. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phytochemical Dynamics: Plant Metabolite Responses to Environmental Factors)
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25 pages, 1334 KB  
Article
Impact of Water Stress on Metabolic Intermediates and Regulators in Broccoli Sprouts, and Cellular Defense Potential of Their Extracts
by Ivana Šola, Daria Gmižić, Karlo Miškec and Jutta Ludwig-Müller
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26(2), 632; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26020632 - 13 Jan 2025
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2430
Abstract
Drought and flood (water stress) alter plant metabolism, impacting the phytochemical content and biological effects. Using spectrophotometric, HPLC, and electrophoretic methods, we analyze the effects of water stress on broccoli (Brassica oleracea L. convar. botrytis (L.) Alef. var. cymosa Duch.) sprouts. Drought [...] Read more.
Drought and flood (water stress) alter plant metabolism, impacting the phytochemical content and biological effects. Using spectrophotometric, HPLC, and electrophoretic methods, we analyze the effects of water stress on broccoli (Brassica oleracea L. convar. botrytis (L.) Alef. var. cymosa Duch.) sprouts. Drought and flood differently influenced chlorophylls, carotenoids, and porphyrins, with drought having a stronger inhibitory effect on chlorophyll a, total chlorophyll, and porphyrins. Carotenoids and glucosinolates increased under drought but decreased with flooding, suggesting that these compounds play a crucial role in drought tolerance. Nitrate increased with drought from 13.11 ± 1.05 mg/g dw to 22.41 ± 1.20 mg/g dw but decreased under flooding to 5.17 ± 1.03 mg/g dw, and oxalic acid was reduced by drought only (from 48.94 ± 1.30 mg/g dw to 46.43 ± 0.64 mg/g dw). Flood reduced proteins by 29%, phenolics by 15%, flavonoids by 10%, flavonols by 11%, tannins by 36%, and proanthocyanidins by 19%, while drought decreased flavonoids by 23%. Total phenolics and proanthocyanidins were increased by drought by 29% and 7%, respectively, while flooding decreased hydroxycinnamic acids by 13%. Both stress types influenced individual polyphenols differently: drought diminished ferulic acid by 17% and increased sinapic acid by 30%, while flooding reversed these effects and enhanced kaempferol by 22%. These compounds, along with proline (which increased by 139% under drought), emerged as biomarkers of water stress. Flood impacted antioxidant capacity more significantly, while drought-stressed broccoli extracts better protected plasmid DNA against oxidative damage. These findings underline the metabolic plasticity of broccoli sprouts and their potential in targeted crop management for water stress resilience. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phytochemical Dynamics: Plant Metabolite Responses to Environmental Factors)
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