Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
7.6
4.1
Journals
Plants
Special Issues
Abiotic Stress Responses in Plants—Second Edition
share announcement

Abiotic Stress Responses in Plants—Second Edition

A special issue of Plants (ISSN 2223-7747). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant Response to Abiotic Stress and Climate Change".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 May 2026 | Viewed by 1425

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Cataldo Pulvento

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Agricultural and Environmental Science, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Via Orabona, 4, 70126 Bari, Italy
Interests: soil water plant relations; abiotic stresses; agronomy; herbaceous crops; quinoa; amaranth
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Abiotic stress is a significant concern due to its effects on plant survival and productivity; it is responsible for significant losses in crop production worldwide. Abiotic stress can be defined as all the negative impacts caused by non-living factors on an organism. These include drought, salinity, low or high temperatures, contamination, and other extreme conditions. Plants have adapted multiple responses to abiotic stress, making it more challenging to counteract than biotic stress. Therefore, more research is needed to understand the mechanisms exploited by different plant species to respond to abiotic stresses at the molecular, cellular, tissue, anatomical, morphological, and physiological levels. This Special Issue of Plants endeavors to collect as much information as possible on the responses of plants to abiotic stress and to propose novel solutions to increase the adaptability of plants to perceived stress.

The first edition can be found at the following link: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/plants/special_issues/0MFU839E25.

Dr. Cataldo Pulvento
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 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

  • drought tolerance
  • heat tolerance
  • flooding tolerance
  • cold tolerance
  • soil acidity
  • iron toxicity

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.

Published Papers (3 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

23 pages, 5821 KB  
Article
Physiological and Transcriptional Regulation of Salt Tolerance in Thinopyrum ponticum and Screening of Salt-Tolerant Candidate Genes
by Ran Zhang, Rui Zhong, Kuiju Niu, Fang Jia, Yuehan Liu and Xiaoxia Li
Plants 2025, 14(17), 2771; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14172771 - 4 Sep 2025
Viewed by 380
Abstract
The tall wheatgrass Thinopyrum ponticum has excellent saline–alkali tolerance and great potential for restoring saline–alkali land to enhance productivity. This study used the Thinopyrum ponticum cv. “Orbit” variety, which is widely planted in saline–alkali pastures, as the material and artificially simulated salt stress [...] Read more.
The tall wheatgrass Thinopyrum ponticum has excellent saline–alkali tolerance and great potential for restoring saline–alkali land to enhance productivity. This study used the Thinopyrum ponticum cv. “Orbit” variety, which is widely planted in saline–alkali pastures, as the material and artificially simulated salt stress using 150 mM NaCl and 150 mM Na2SO4, respectively. The growth and physiological indexes of the leaves and roots of seedlings were measured after various treatment durations, and the transcriptomes of untreated and Na2SO4-treated leaves and roots were also analyzed after 24 h of treatment. The results showed that salt stress resulted in significant reductions in leaf relative water content in seedlings and inhibited root elongation growth, with Na2SO4 treatment producing a greater impact on plant growth than NaCl treatment. Salt stress significantly alters ion transport and distribution in Thinopyrum ponticum, characterized by pronounced Na+ accumulation and a concomitant decline in K+ uptake. Additionally, to adapt to salt stress, roots enhance their ability to absorb and transport essential cations, such as Ca2+, Mg2+, Fe3+, and Cu2+. RNA-Seq analysis identified 1682 and 2816 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in leaves and roots under Na2SO4 stress, respectively, with 210 common DEGs. Enrichment analyses revealed that DEGs were primarily associated with redox homeostasis, ion balance, and signal transduction. Furthermore, transcription regulation analysis indicated the Thinopyrum ponticum can coordinate the activation of NAC/MYB/WRKY transcription factors, SA/ETH hormone signaling, and Ca2+ pathways in response to salt stress. In summary, this study systematically reveals for the first time the molecular mechanisms by which Thinopyrum ponticum responds to Na2SO4 stress through coordinated regulation of ion transport, transcription factor networks, and hormone-Ca2+ signaling pathways. Based on transcriptomic and protein–protein interaction analyses, nine key candidate genes for saline–alkali tolerance were identified, including UGT7472, JMT, T4E14.7, CAX5, CP1, PXG2 NAMT1, BON3, and APX7. These findings provide novel genetic resources and a theoretical foundation for breeding salt–alkali-tolerant crops. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Abiotic Stress Responses in Plants—Second Edition)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

18 pages, 2194 KB  
Article
The Age-Dependent Response of Carbon Coordination in the Organs of Pinus yunnanensis Seedlings Under Shade Stress
by Juncheng Han, Yuanxi Liu, Wenhao Zhang, Guihe Duan, Jialan Chen, Weisong Zhu and Junwen Wu
Plants 2025, 14(17), 2679; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14172679 - 27 Aug 2025
Viewed by 333
Abstract
To elucidate shade adaptation mechanisms in Pinus yunnanensis seedlings across different ages, this study established five light gradients (100% full sunlight as control or CK, 80% as L1, 45% as L2, 30% as L3, and 5% as L4) for experimental treatments on one- [...] Read more.
To elucidate shade adaptation mechanisms in Pinus yunnanensis seedlings across different ages, this study established five light gradients (100% full sunlight as control or CK, 80% as L1, 45% as L2, 30% as L3, and 5% as L4) for experimental treatments on one- and three-year-old seedlings. By analyzing dynamic changes in non-structural carbohydrates (NSCs) and their components within needles, stems, and roots—combined with a phenotypic plasticity assessment, a correlation analysis, and a principal component analysis—we explored the carbon metabolic adaptations under shade stress. The key results demonstrate the following: (1) Increasing shade intensity significantly reduced the NSCs in the needles and roots of both age groups. The stem NSCs markedly decreased under L1 and L2, indicating “carbon limitation.” However, under severe shade (L3 and L4), the stem NSCs stabilized while the stem soluble sugars gradually increased. In three-year-old Pinus yunnanensis seedlings under the L3 treatment, the ratio of soluble sugars to starch in the stems reached as high as 5.772 g·kg−1, yet the stem NSC content showed no significant change. This pattern exhibited “growth stagnation-carbon enrichment” characteristics. This reveals a physiological strategy for maintaining stem carbon homeostasis through a “structure–metabolism” trade-off under carbon limitation. (2) Shade adaptations diverged by age: one-year-old seedlings employed a short-term “needle–root source–sink reallocation” strategy, whereas three-year-old seedlings developed a “root–stem–needle closed-loop homeostasis regulation” mechanism. (3) Age-specific shade thresholds were identified: one-year-old seedlings required >80% full light to maintain a carbon balance, while three-year-old seedlings exhibited enhanced root carbon storage under moderate shade (45–80% full light). This study clarifies the physiological mechanisms by which P. yunnanensis seedlings of varying ages optimize shade adaptation through organ-specific carbon allocation, providing a theoretical foundation for shade management in artificial forests and understory seedling conservation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Abiotic Stress Responses in Plants—Second Edition)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

21 pages, 5398 KB  
Article
Enhancing UV-B Protection and Abiotic Stress Tolerance in Tomato Plants: The Role of Silicon Nanoparticles in Photosynthetic Parameters, Pigments, and Secondary Metabolite Production
by Florina Copaciu, Cosmin-Alin Faur, Andrea Bunea, Loredana Leopold, Rodica Maria Sima, Mihai Andrei Lăcătuș, Andreea Lupitu, Cristian Moisa, Dana Maria Copolovici and Lucian Copolovici
Plants 2025, 14(16), 2599; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14162599 - 21 Aug 2025
Viewed by 542
Abstract
Tomato fruit (Solanum lycopersicum) is a valuable agricultural crop worldwide due to its nutritional value and culinary applications, making it one of the most widely consumed vegetables in the human diet. However, excessive solar UV-B radiation represents a significant factor in [...] Read more.
Tomato fruit (Solanum lycopersicum) is a valuable agricultural crop worldwide due to its nutritional value and culinary applications, making it one of the most widely consumed vegetables in the human diet. However, excessive solar UV-B radiation represents a significant factor in decreasing productivity, marketable yields, and fruit quality in tomato crops by causing damage to both DNA and the photosynthetic system, as well as chlorophyll degradation. The application of silicon nanoparticles has been shown to increase tolerance to abiotic stressors, including enhanced UV-B radiation. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the protective effects of foliar silicon nanoparticle (SiNP) application on photosynthetic parameters, photosynthetic pigments, and secondary metabolites under enhanced UV-B stress in tomato plants. Photosynthetic parameters (stomatal conductance to water vapor, net CO2 assimilation rate, transpiration rate, and intercellular CO2 molar fraction), biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs), chlorophylls, and carotenoids were evaluated. The application of SiNPs showed beneficial effects on plants grown under ambient UV-B conditions, increasing photosynthetic parameters while also enhancing chlorophyll and carotenoid levels. In plants exposed to enhanced UV-B radiation, SiNP treatment helped to maintain and even improve photosynthetic parameters and stomatal function in leaves while also promoting the accumulation of photosynthetic pigments. Additionally, the application of SiNPs also resulted in a slightly higher content of lycopene and total carotenoids in tomato fruits. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Abiotic Stress Responses in Plants—Second Edition)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-3
Back to TopTop