Reactive Oxygen Species and Antioxidant Networks in Plant–Pathogen Interactions
A special issue of Plants (ISSN 2223-7747). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant Protection and Biotic Interactions".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 March 2026 | Viewed by 80
Special Issue Editors
Interests: symptomless resistance; plant virus and powdery mildew resistance mechanisms; hypersensitive reaction; plant cell death; reactive oxygen species; antioxidants; glutathione; salicylic acid
Interests: heat stress and resistance; plant powdery mildew and virus resistance mechanisms; hypersensitive reaction; reactive oxygen species; antioxidants; salicylic acid; glutathione
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Reactive oxygen species (ROS) and antioxidants have diverse and complex roles in plant–pathogen interactions (including plant interactions with pathogenic viruses, bacteria, phytoplasmas, oomycetes, and fungi). ROS in plants were originally identified as chemical groups capable of destroying not only plant tissues but also the invading pathogen. However, ROS may significantly contribute to plant disease resistance through additional, more sophisticated means, e.g., strengthening plant cell walls (oxidative crosslinking) and—in low concentrations—acting as signaling agents to orchestrate plant defense processes against pathogens, in particular by inducing antioxidant networks. In this Special Issue, we focus on the diverse roles of ROS and antioxidants during plant defense to pathogens, which may be influenced, among other factors, by environmental factors (temperature, pH), ROS concentration changes during pathogenesis, and the lifestyle of the invading pathogen (biotrophic vs. necrotrophic). Recently, the pivotal role of the ROS–antioxidant balance in plant organelles (chloroplast, peroxisome, etc.) has been appreciated, since it is a driving force of retrograde signaling within plant cells exposed to pathogens. Furthermore, certain antioxidants such as glutathione seem to directly enhance plant defense against pathogens independently of their antioxidant functions. Novel approaches for enhancing plant defenses (especially those of crops) to pathogens by manipulating in planta ROS and antioxidant production via molecular genetic (e.g., gene editing) approaches are also welcome.
Dr. Lóránt Király
Dr. András Künstler
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. Plants is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly 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
- ROS as antimicrobial agents in plant defense to pathogens
- ROS as signaling agents in plant defense to pathogens
- ROS–antioxidant balance during plant defense to pathogens
- heat stress, ROS and plant defense to pathogens
- biotrophic vs. necrotrophic pathogens and plant defense to pathogens
- glutathione and plant defense to pathogens
- enhanced plant resistance by editing genes controlling ROS and antioxidants
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.
