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Horticultural Plant Physiology and Molecular Biology—2nd Edition
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Horticultural Plant Physiology and Molecular Biology—2nd Edition

A special issue of Plants (ISSN 2223-7747). This special issue belongs to the section "Horticultural Science and Ornamental Plants".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 May 2026 | Viewed by 2199

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Shengjun Feng

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Guest Editor
College of Horticulture Science, Zhejiang Agriculture and Forestry University, Hangzhou 311300, China
Interests: Cucurbitaceae crops; molecular breeding; agronomic traits; epigenetic regulation; epigenetic mechanisms; heavy metal tolerance; metal ion absorption and distribution; cadmium
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Horticulture, inexorably tied to biology, is the study of breeding and cultivation theories and techniques and the physiology of fruit trees, vegetables, ornamental plants, and tea, serving both the horticultural industry and researchers. However, with the continuous research, development, and innovation in this industry, expectations and standards have risen for the development of the horticultural profession.

Over the last several decades, research directions dominated by plant physiology have promoted the development of basic research and applied science in horticultural crops. However, in the 21st century, molecular biology has flourished, and biotechnology has been widely used in the horticultural industry and research, with higher demands regarding the development of horticulture. A firm theoretical basis of molecular biology rooted in traditional plant physiology is required to explore the unique molecular biology of horticultural plants and expand research frontiers.

This Special Issue will showcase research articles and reviews on the physiology and molecular biology of important traits of horticultural crops, summarize research progress in the formation of unique agronomic traits, and present the latest progress on the extensive role of plant physiology and molecular biology in growth, development, comprehensive metabolism, and environmental interactions.

Dr. Shengjun Feng
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. 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

  • plant molecular biology
  • plant physiology
  • environmental response
  • secondary metabolism
  • growth and development
  • signal pathway

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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17 pages, 10021 KB  
Article
Mango Fructokinases Inhibit Sugar Accumulation and Enhance Energy Metabolism in Transgenic Tomato
by Bin Zheng, Songbiao Wang, Hongxia Wu, Xiaowei Ma, Wentian Xu, Kunliang Xie, Meng Gao, Yanan Wang, Chengming Yan, Zixin Meng and Li Li
Plants 2025, 14(22), 3526; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14223526 - 19 Nov 2025
Viewed by 314
Abstract
Sugar content critically determines mango fruit quality and varies significantly among varieties. Preliminary studies indicate that fructokinases (MiFRKs) MiFRK1 and MiFRK2 likely regulate intervarietal sugar variation. We characterized these MiFRKs using heterologous expression in tomato. Both isoforms phosphorylate fructose, promoting downstream [...] Read more.
Sugar content critically determines mango fruit quality and varies significantly among varieties. Preliminary studies indicate that fructokinases (MiFRKs) MiFRK1 and MiFRK2 likely regulate intervarietal sugar variation. We characterized these MiFRKs using heterologous expression in tomato. Both isoforms phosphorylate fructose, promoting downstream catabolism, with R-MiFRK2 (from low-sugar ‘Renong No. 1’) exhibiting higher activity than T-MiFRK2 (high-sugar ‘Tainong No. 1’) and MiFRK1. Transcriptomic and metabolic analyses reveal that MiFRK overexpression inhibits sugar accumulation by altering the expression of key metabolic genes, including sucrose degradation enzymes (invertases), starch breakdown genes (β-amylases), and glycolytic genes (enolases). Intriguingly, MiFRK1 and MiFRK2 exhibit distinct regulatory effects on these pathways, suggesting functional specialization between the two isoforms. These findings provide novel insights into the molecular mechanisms through which MiFRKs govern sugar metabolism in mango, highlighting their potential as key targets for metabolic engineering to enhance fruit quality. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Horticultural Plant Physiology and Molecular Biology—2nd Edition)
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24 pages, 9589 KB  
Article
Overexpression of SlMADS48 Alters the Structure of Inflorescence and the Sizes of Sepal and Fruit in Tomato
by Pengyu Guo, Xin Cheng, Chuanji Xing, Zihan Gao, Jing Xue, Xiuhai Zhang, Guoping Chen, Xuqing Chen and Zongli Hu
Plants 2025, 14(21), 3259; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14213259 - 24 Oct 2025
Viewed by 395
Abstract
MADS-box transcription factors play a vital role in the development of reproductive organs and fruits. However, the mechanisms by which MADS-box transcription factors participate in determining the size of organs remain incompletely understood. This study demonstrated that the overexpression of SlMADS48 results in [...] Read more.
MADS-box transcription factors play a vital role in the development of reproductive organs and fruits. However, the mechanisms by which MADS-box transcription factors participate in determining the size of organs remain incompletely understood. This study demonstrated that the overexpression of SlMADS48 results in elongated sepals and is accompanied by an elevated gibberellin content, compared with the wild type (WT). The interaction between SlMADS48 and several proteins (SlMC, SlMBP21, SlJOINTLESS, and SlFYFL) involved in sepal development was identified. In addition, the OE-SlMADS48 lines exhibited increased branches and total numbers of flowers. Molecular analysis revealed that SlMADS48 interacted with TM29, FUL1, FUL2, and MBP20, which are associated with inflorescence development. Moreover, SlMDS48 directly targeted the promoter of SlTM3 via the CArG-box motif, reducing its transcript levels. Additionally, the overexpression of SlMADS48 led to a reduction in the size of fruit, together with decreased contents of cytokinins and indole acetic acid (IAA) compared with the WT. Furthermore, SlMADS48 directly combined with the promoters of SlcycD6;1 and SlIAA29 in the cytokinin and auxin pathways, respectively. This research advanced our understanding of SlMADS48’s role in determining organ size and provided valuable insights into target gene selection in tomato breeding programs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Horticultural Plant Physiology and Molecular Biology—2nd Edition)
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15 pages, 4666 KB  
Article
Alleviation of Saline–Alkaline Stress in Alfalfa by a Consortium of Plant-Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria
by Lingjuan Han, Yixuan Li, Zheng Ma, Bin Li, Yinping Liang, Peng Gao and Xiang Zhao
Plants 2025, 14(17), 2744; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14172744 - 2 Sep 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 871
Abstract
Soil salinization critically threatens global agricultural productivity by impairing plant growth and soil fertility. This study investigated the potential of a consortium, comprising Acinetobacter calcoaceticus DP25, Staphylococcus epidermidis DP28, and Enterobacter hormaechei DP29, to enhance the saline–alkali tolerance of alfalfa and improve soil [...] Read more.
Soil salinization critically threatens global agricultural productivity by impairing plant growth and soil fertility. This study investigated the potential of a consortium, comprising Acinetobacter calcoaceticus DP25, Staphylococcus epidermidis DP28, and Enterobacter hormaechei DP29, to enhance the saline–alkali tolerance of alfalfa and improve soil properties. The experiments comprised five germination treatments (saline control, each strain alone, consortium) and three pot treatments (non-saline control, saline control, consortium). Under saline–alkali stress, co-inoculation with the consortium significantly (p < 0.05) increased alfalfa seed germination rates, emergence rates, and biomass (shoot and root dry weight), while promoting root development. Physiological analyses revealed that the bacterial consortium mitigated stress-induced damage by enhancing photosynthetic efficiency, chlorophyll content, and antioxidant enzyme activities (superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), and catalase (CAT)), while decreasing malondialdehyde (MDA) levels. Moreover, the inoculant improved osmoprotectant accumulation (soluble sugars, soluble proteins, and proline) and modulated soil properties by reducing pH and electrical conductivity (EC), while elevating nutrient availability and soil enzyme activities. Correlation and principal component analyses (PCA) confirmed strong associations among improved plant growth, physiological traits, and soil health. These findings demonstrate that the bacterial consortium effectively alleviates saline–alkali stress in alfalfa by improving soil health, offering a sustainable strategy for ecological restoration and improving agricultural productivity in saline–alkali regions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Horticultural Plant Physiology and Molecular Biology—2nd Edition)
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Review

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15 pages, 996 KB  
Review
Recent Insights into the Molecular Mechanisms of Salt Tolerance in Melon (Cucumis melo L.)
by Yanping Jing, Jihai Yang, Dingfan Xu, Qiufeiyang Chen, Kexing Xin, Xunfeng Chen, Jun Tang, Jian Chen and Zhihu Ma
Plants 2025, 14(23), 3598; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14233598 - 25 Nov 2025
Viewed by 298
Abstract
Salt stress represents one of the most critical abiotic constraints limiting global agricultural productivity by adversely affecting plant growth, metabolism, and yield. Soil salinization disrupts water uptake and nutrient homeostasis, leading to ionic toxicity, osmotic imbalance, and oxidative stress that collectively impair crop [...] Read more.
Salt stress represents one of the most critical abiotic constraints limiting global agricultural productivity by adversely affecting plant growth, metabolism, and yield. Soil salinization disrupts water uptake and nutrient homeostasis, leading to ionic toxicity, osmotic imbalance, and oxidative stress that collectively impair crop development. Cucumis melo, a major horticultural crop of significant economic value, exhibits high sensitivity to salinity. Recent advances have elucidated that melon adapts to salt stress through intricate physiological and molecular mechanisms involving osmotic adjustment, ion transport regulation, antioxidant defense, and transcriptional reprogramming. Several pivotal genes, such as CmNHX1, CmHKT1;1, CmCML13, CmAPX27, and CmRAV1, etc., have been identified to participate in multiple signaling pathways governing salt tolerance in melon. In this review, we comprehensively summarize the physiological effects of salt stress on melon growth, elucidating the key molecular mechanisms underlying salt tolerance, particularly those associated with ion homeostasis, antioxidant defense, and transcriptional regulation. The review further discusses current strategies and future perspectives for the genetic improvement of salt tolerance. Collectively, this review provides a theoretical framework and valuable reference for future research on the molecular basis of salt tolerance and breeding of salt-tolerant melon cultivars. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Horticultural Plant Physiology and Molecular Biology—2nd Edition)
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