Phenological Regulation of Secondary Metabolism
A special issue of Metabolites (ISSN 2218-1989). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant Metabolism".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 November 2025 | Viewed by 86
Special Issue Editors
Interests: secondary metabolites; natural products; specialized metabolites
Interests: secondary metabolites; natural products; specialized metabolites
Interests: plant specialized metabolites biosynthesis; plant natural products chemistry; plant genomics; terpenoids; enzymology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Plant phenology broadly refers to the timing of seasonal events in the plant life cycle, such as germination, flowering, and fruiting. Plants produce secondary metabolites, also known as specialized metabolites, which enable them to interact with their environment. The production of these secondary metabolites can vary significantly in both quality and quantity due to factors such as genetic variability, ecological functions, physiological conditions, seasonal changes, habitat environmental variables, and phenological stages.
Numerous studies have investigated how these factors influence the production of secondary metabolites. Typically suggested explanations for these variations often involve hypotheses of optimal defense in response to natural enemies and the costs associated with resource allocation for biosynthesis.
However, fluctuations in secondary metabolite levels during certain phenophases may indicate a redistribution of these metabolites among different tissues. For example, metabolites from senescent leaves might be redirected to the roots or flowers. Additionally, this variation may result from the exchange of carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and sulfur (S) atoms between primary and secondary molecules rather than solely as a response to herbivory pressure. Moreover, metabolites serve various functions beyond defense, such as responding to water stress, facilitating communication with beneficial microbiota, and fostering mutualistic interactions.
Therefore, understanding the variations in secondary metabolites during different phenological stages could provide insights into intrinsic patterns and how plants respond to biotic and abiotic pressures. However, current knowledge on this topic is limited, with the existing literature mainly focusing on specific components or species.
This Special Issue welcomes studies examining the impact of phenology on variations in secondary metabolites.
Dr. Iván De-la-Cruz-Chacón
Dr. Alma Rosa González-Esquinca
Prof. Dr. Xin Fang
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. Metabolites 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
- phenological fluctuations
- metabolites’ phenological fluctuations
- secondary metabolites
- natural products
- specialized metabolites
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.
