Metabolic Analysis of Plant Development and Defense Responses

A special issue of Plants (ISSN 2223-7747). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant Molecular Biology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 April 2026 | Viewed by 106

Special Issue Editor

Department of Life Sciences, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan 38541, Republic of Korea
Interests: medicinal plants; phytochemistry; phylogenetics; computational analysis; ethnopharmacology; plant extracts
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Plant metabolism plays a essential role in the regulation of developmental processes and the arranging of defense mechanisms against a wide array of biotic and abiotic stresses in plants. Understanding the multifaceted metabolic networks that trigger plant growth, differentiation, and immune responses is central for advancements in agricultural sustainability and crop pliability. This Special Issue aims to provide a comprehensive platform for recent advancements in the field of plant metabolic research, focusing on the elucidation of primary and secondary metabolic pathways that govern key physiological functions in development and defense. We invite original research articles, reviews, and perspectives that explore the dynamic interplay between metabolic processes and plant developmental stages, including seed germination, vegetative growth, flowering, fruiting, and senescence. Additionally, we welcome studies highlighting the metabolic reprogramming associated with plant defense responses against pathogens, pests, and environmental stresses such as drought, salinity, and temperature extremes. Special emphasis will be given to research employing advanced omics technologies—metabolomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and integrated multi-omics approaches—to uncover regulatory networks and identify metabolic biomarkers involved in stress tolerance and defense signaling. This Special Issue also encourages contributions that discuss metabolic engineering strategies aimed at improving plant growth, yield, and resilience, as well as investigations into the role of specialized metabolites, including phytoalexins, alkaloids, terpenoids, and flavonoids, in defense responses. Articles addressing the crosstalk between hormonal signaling pathways and metabolic regulation are particularly welcome. Through this Special Issue, we aim to advance our understanding of the metabolic foundations of plant development and immunity, fostering innovative solutions for crop improvement and sustainable agriculture in the face of global climate change and emerging plant diseases.

Dr. Adnan Amin
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

  • plant metabolism
  • defense responses
  • metabolomics
  • stress tolerance
  • metabolic engineering

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Published Papers

This special issue is now open for submission.
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