Regulatory Mechanism of Carbon-Nitrogen Allocation in Cereal Crops and Its Response to Environment

Dear Colleagues,

Carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) are fundamental elements for crop growth and development. Photosynthetically fixed carbon (as sucrose) is transported from source (leaves) to sink (seeds) via the phloem, providing the material basis for energy supply and morphological establishment in crops. Concurrently, root-absorbed nitrogen (as NO₃⁻ and NH₄⁺) is transported to the above-ground parts through the xylem, assimilated into amino acids and proteins, and redistributed through the phloem. The metabolism and distribution of C and N collectively influence crop yield and quality formation. Elucidating the regulatory mechanisms of C and N metabolism and distribution, as well as pathways for efficient resource utilization, are critical for advancing sustainable agriculture. This research topic focuses on critical gaps in our understanding of the dynamic allocation of C and N among organs in major cereal crops (e.g., rice, wheat, maize), as well as the mechanisms of efficient transport and environmental adaptability. Research includes but is not limited to the following: the synergistic regulatory network of C and N metabolism and its link to agronomic trait formation, the regulatory mechanisms of C and N distribution between source and sink, functional analysis of C and N transport proteins, the relationship between vascular bundle development and C/N transport efficiency, the signaling networks that mediate source–sink relationships, cultivation and regulation techniques to synergistically enhance yield and resource use efficiency, and the impact of environmental factors (e.g., heat, drought, salinity, nutrient deficiency) on C and N distribution. The aim is to reveal the physiological and molecular mechanisms of C and N allocation in cereal crops, as well as cultivation and regulation techniques, and to clarify the limiting factors of environmental stress on yield and quality formation under global climate change, thereby providing theoretical foundation for breeding stress-resistant, high-yield, efficient, and high-quality varieties and optimizing cultivation strategies.

Dr. Guohui Li
Prof. Dr. Ke Xu
Dr. Guanglong Zhu
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.

• cereal crops
• yield
• resource use efficiency
• carbon and nitrogen allocation
• transportation mechanism
• cultivation regulation techniques