Genetics and Physiology of Tuber and Root Crops

A special issue of Plants (ISSN 2223-7747). This special issue belongs to the section "Crop Physiology and Crop Production".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2025 | Viewed by 231

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Institute of Vegetables and Flowers, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
Interests: genetic improvement of potato; molecular biology of potato major traits
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Guest Editor Assistant
Institute of Vegetables and Flowers, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
Interests: genetic and molecular regulatory mechanisms underlying potato major traits

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Tuber and root crops encompass a diverse array of species, such as Solanum tuberosum, Ipomoea batatas, Manihot esculenta, Dioscorea spp., and Colocasia esculenta. These crops are of global significance, serving dual functions as principal staple food sources and critical economic commodities. Moreover, certain species within this group exhibit the distinctive property of having both medicinal and edible applications.​ The yield, quality, disease resistance, and stress tolerance, among other crucial traits, of tuber and root crops have long been the central foci of attention for plant geneticists and breeders. In-depth investigations into the genetic and physiological aspects of these crops, along with comprehensive dissections of the genetic and molecular regulatory networks that govern their growth, development, yield establishment, and quality formation, are essential to establish a theoretical framework conducive to creating high-yield, high-quality, stress-resilient new cultivars.​ This Special Issue of Plants will highlight the genetic diversity, genetic regulation, growth and development, and environmental adaptability of tuber and root crops.

Prof. Dr. Jianfei Xu
Guest Editor

Dr. Ming He
Guest Editor Assistant

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Keywords

  • tuber and root crops
  • genetic diversity
  • genetic regulation
  • growth and development
  • yield
  • quality
  • disease resistance
  • stress tolerance

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

17 pages, 5446 KiB  
Article
Transcriptome Profiling Identifies Key Regulators of Tuber Skin Color in Potato
by Boshu Li, Shuo Wang, Jun Hu, Liping Jin and Jianfei Xu
Plants 2025, 14(10), 1544; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14101544 - 20 May 2025
Abstract
The color of tuber skin exhibits remarkable diversity in potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) and is intricately associated with variance in anthocyanin accumulation across different varieties. The regulatory mechanisms governing this phenomenon are poorly understood. In this study, we identified a natural, yellow-skinned [...] Read more.
The color of tuber skin exhibits remarkable diversity in potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) and is intricately associated with variance in anthocyanin accumulation across different varieties. The regulatory mechanisms governing this phenomenon are poorly understood. In this study, we identified a natural, yellow-skinned variant (Z28M) from the red-skinned tetraploid variety, Zhongshu 28 (Z28W), using simple sequence repeat (SSR) molecular marker amplification and trait observation. The transcriptional regulatory mechanisms underlying tuber skin color variation were investigated by analyzing anthocyanin profiles and transcriptomic data at the developmental and maturation stages. Ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC-QTOF-MS) analysis indicated markedly reduced levels of pelargonidin and peonidin in Z28M compared with those in Z28W. Transcriptome profiling identified 1858 differentially expressed genes between Z28W and Z28M, with significant enrichment in the flavonoid and phenylpropanoid biosynthetic pathways. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis indicated a red-skinned associated module, MEred, encompassing key anthocyanin biosynthetic genes co-expressed with the transcription factor, StMYB3, which exhibited substantially higher expression in Z28W than in Z28M. K-means clustering indicated coordinated expression patterns among StCHS, StDFR, and StMYB3, suggesting transcriptional co-regulation. Collectively, these results highlight StMYB3 as a pivotal regulator of anthocyanin biosynthesis and a contributor to the tuber skin color divergence observed between Z28W and Z28M. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Genetics and Physiology of Tuber and Root Crops)
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