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Advances in Plant Photobiology
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Advances in Plant Photobiology

A special issue of Plants (ISSN 2223-7747). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant Physiology and Metabolism".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2025 | Viewed by 6347

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Robert Luciński

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Plant Physiology, Faculty of Biology, Institute of Experimental Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, Poznań, Poland
Interests: photobiology; plant biosystems; hotochemistry; plant physiology

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Plant photobiology is the study of plants’ perception, signal transduction, and response to light. Light is an important factor in plant growth and development. Plants regulate their own growth and development by sensing light signals to adapt to changes in the environment. At present, the research on plant photobiology mainly focuses on the following aspects:

  • The mechanism of photosynthesis;
  • Light signal transduction pathways;
  • The photoperiod phenomenon of plants;
  • The adaptability of plants to different light environments;
  • The interaction between photosynthesis and the environment.

These research fields provide an important theoretical basis and technical means for the development of plant photobiology, help us better understand the growth and development of plants, and provide theoretical and practical support for the improvement of agricultural production and the ecological environment. This Special Issue welcomes articles, reviews, and communications focusing on the latest research progress in plant photobiology.

Dr. Robert Luciński
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

  • photosynthesis
  • photoperiodic phenomenon
  • plant photoprotection
  • light signal transduction
  • photoreceptor
  • photoinhibition
  • photorespiration
  • light reactions

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

Jump to: Review

17 pages, 5777 KiB  
Article
Coordinated cpSRP43 and cpSRP54 Abundance Is Essential for Tetrapyrrole Biosynthesis While cpSRP43 Is Independent of Retrograde Signaling
by Shuiling Ji, Huijiao Yao and Bernhard Grimm
Plants 2025, 14(12), 1745; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14121745 - 6 Jun 2025
Viewed by 18
Abstract
The chloroplast signal recognition particle (cpSRP) components cpSRP43 and cpSRP54 not only form a complex with light-harvesting chlorophyll (Chl)-binding proteins to direct them to the thylakoid membrane, but also serve other functions. cpSRP43 independently acts as a chaperone for some tetrapyrrole biosynthesis (TBS) [...] Read more.
The chloroplast signal recognition particle (cpSRP) components cpSRP43 and cpSRP54 not only form a complex with light-harvesting chlorophyll (Chl)-binding proteins to direct them to the thylakoid membrane, but also serve other functions. cpSRP43 independently acts as a chaperone for some tetrapyrrole biosynthesis (TBS) enzymes, while cpSRP54 participates in the co-translational targeting of plastid-encoded proteins. However, it remains unclear to what extent the two cpSRP components are coregulated—despite their distinct functions—and whether both participate in genomes-uncoupled (GUN)-mediated retrograde signaling. Here, we demonstrate that cpSRP43 and cpSRP54 accumulation is strongly interdependently controlled: overexpression of one protein increases the level of the other, while a deficiency in one of the two proteins leads to a simultaneous decrease in the other component. Disruption of this balance, e.g., by combining the overexpression of one component with a knockout of the other, results in severe chlorosis, stunted growth, and reduced levels of Chl and tetrapyrrole intermediates. Moreover, cpSRP43 deficiency exacerbates the pale-green phenotype of gun4 and gun5 mutants, highlighting a synergistic impact on TBS; however, cpSRP43 overexpression fails to rescue these defects. Remarkably, loss of cpSRP43 does not affect the expression of nuclear-encoded photosynthetic genes under intrinsic plastid stress, clearly demonstrating that cpSRP43 is not involved in plastid-to-nucleus retrograde signaling. Overall, our findings underscore that the fine-tuned expression of cpSRP43 and cpSRP54 is crucial for proper chloroplast function and pigment biosynthesis, while cpSRP43 alone does not participate in the retrograde signaling pathway. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Plant Photobiology)
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13 pages, 2020 KiB  
Article
Potassium-Mediated Variations in the Photosynthetic Induction Characteristics of Phaseolus vulgaris L.
by Qi Luo, Wei Jin, Lili Li, Kedong Xu and Yunmin Wei
Plants 2025, 14(11), 1623; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14111623 - 26 May 2025
Viewed by 273
Abstract
Plants are commonly exposed to fluctuating illumination under natural light conditions, causing dynamic photosynthesis and further affecting plant growth and productivity. In this context, although the vital role of potassium (K) in steady-state photosynthesis has been well-established, knowledge of the dynamic changes in [...] Read more.
Plants are commonly exposed to fluctuating illumination under natural light conditions, causing dynamic photosynthesis and further affecting plant growth and productivity. In this context, although the vital role of potassium (K) in steady-state photosynthesis has been well-established, knowledge of the dynamic changes in photosynthesis mediated by K remains scarce. Here, the gas-exchange and chlorophyll fluorescence parameters under steady-state and dynamic photosynthetic responses were quantified in Phaseolus vulgaris L. seedlings grown under K-deficient (−K, 0.02 mM K) and normal K (+K, 2 mM K) conditions. After a transition from low to high light, the time course–induction curves of the net photosynthetic rate (A), stomatal conductance (gs), mesophyll conductance (gm), and maximum carboxylation rate (Vcmax) showed an obvious decline in the −K treatment. In comparison with the +K treatment, however, there were no statistical differences in the initial A and Vcmax values in P. vulgaris supplied with deficient K, suggesting that the K-deficiency-induced decreases in A and Vcmax were light-dependent. Interestingly, the time to reach 90% of the maximum A, gs, and gm significantly decreased in the −K treatment in comparison with the +K treatment by 27.2%, 45.6%, and 52.9%, respectively, whereas the time to reach 90% of the maximum Vcmax was correspondingly delayed by almost two-fold. The photosynthetic limitation during the induction revealed that the biochemical limitation was the dominating factor that constrained A under the −K conditions, while, under the +K conditions, the main limiting factor changed from biochemical limitation to stomatal limitation over time. Moreover, gm imposed the smallest limitation on A during induction in both K treatments. These results indicate that a decreased K supply decreases the photosynthetic performance under fluctuating light in P. vulgaris and that improving the induction responses of biochemical components (i.e., Vcmax) has the potential to enhance the growth and productivity of crops grown in K-poor soil. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Plant Photobiology)
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14 pages, 4478 KiB  
Communication
Light Intensity Dependence of CO2 Assimilation Is More Related to Biochemical Capacity Rather than Diffusional Conductance
by Xiaoqian Wang, Qi Shi, Ningyu Liu, Jianxin Cao and Wei Huang
Plants 2025, 14(7), 986; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14070986 - 21 Mar 2025
Viewed by 363
Abstract
The response of CO2 assimilation rate (AN) to incident light intensity reflects the efficiency of light utilization. The light intensity dependence of AN varies widely among different plant species, yet the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. To elucidate [...] Read more.
The response of CO2 assimilation rate (AN) to incident light intensity reflects the efficiency of light utilization. The light intensity dependence of AN varies widely among different plant species, yet the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. To elucidate this issue, we measured the light intensity dependence of gas exchange and chlorophyll fluorescence in twelve tree species. The results indicated that (1) with increasing light intensity, the variation in AN was closely related to stomatal conductance (gs), mesophyll conductance (gm), the maximum velocity of Rubisco carboxylation (Vcmax), and electron transport rate (ETR); (2) compared with AN at sub-saturating light, the increase in AN at saturating light was more strongly associated with Vcmax and ETR than with gs and gm; and (3) the increase in Vcmax and AN from 600 to 2000 μmol photons m−2 s−1 were positively correlated with the maximum capacity of Vcmax. These findings suggest that Vcmax is an energy-dependent process that significantly regulates the light intensity dependence of AN in plants. This provides valuable insights for crop improvement through the manipulation of Vcmax. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Plant Photobiology)
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19 pages, 5544 KiB  
Article
Effect of LED Irradiation with Different Red-to-Blue Light Ratios on Growth and Functional Compound Accumulations in Spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) Accessions and Wild Relatives
by Tri Manh Le, Yuki Sago, Yasuomi Ibaraki, Kazuhiro Harada, Kenta Arai, Yuichi Ishizaki, Hitoshi Aoki, Mostafa Abdelrahman, Chris Kik, Rob van Treuren, Theo van Hintum and Masayoshi Shigyo
Plants 2025, 14(5), 700; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14050700 - 24 Feb 2025
Viewed by 1312
Abstract
The utilization of red and blue light-emitting diode (LED) lights for cultivating leafy vegetables in closed plant factories has increased in recent years. This study examined the growth and biosynthesis of functional compounds in twelve Spinacia accessions, including cultivars and wild relatives, under [...] Read more.
The utilization of red and blue light-emitting diode (LED) lights for cultivating leafy vegetables in closed plant factories has increased in recent years. This study examined the growth and biosynthesis of functional compounds in twelve Spinacia accessions, including cultivars and wild relatives, under the irradiation of fluorescent light and three different red-to-blue LED light combinations (red:blue = 1:1, 1:3, and 3:1). Results showed that, except for the three examined Japanese cultivars, the fresh weight of most spinach accessions increased when red light comprised 50–75% of the light’s spectral composition. This indicated the vital role of the red-light photoreceptor phytochrome in inducing plant growth. The contribution of blue-light photoreceptors was also notable. Significant variations in the accumulation of amino acids and sugars were observed in specific accessions. The effects of spectral photons on the primary metabolite pathways were probably the leading causes of these variations. Some critical enzymes in the Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) shunt cycle and the asparagine and glycolysis pathways were suggested as rate-limiting enzymes, which determined the biosynthesis of functional compounds. Among the examined Spinacia accessions, ‘CGN09429’, ‘CGN09511’, and the wild S. turkestanica ‘CGN25013’ were identified as potential breeding materials, while red:blue = 1:1 was determined as the optimal red-to-blue ratio for spinach growth in a closed-cultivation system. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Plant Photobiology)
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23 pages, 3588 KiB  
Article
Cyanobacterial Cultures, Cell Extracts, and Individual Toxins Decrease Photosynthesis in the Terrestrial Plants Lactuca sativa and Zea mays
by Scott A. Heckathorn, Clare T. Muller, Michael D. Thomas, Emily P. Vining, Samantha Bigioni, Clair Elsie, J. Thomas Franklin, Emily R. New and Jennifer K. Boldt
Plants 2024, 13(22), 3190; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13223190 - 13 Nov 2024
Viewed by 1200
Abstract
Cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms (cHABs) are increasing due to eutrophication and climate change, as is irrigation of crops with freshwater contaminated with cHAB toxins. A few studies, mostly in aquatic protists and plants, have investigated the effects of cHAB toxins or cell extracts [...] Read more.
Cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms (cHABs) are increasing due to eutrophication and climate change, as is irrigation of crops with freshwater contaminated with cHAB toxins. A few studies, mostly in aquatic protists and plants, have investigated the effects of cHAB toxins or cell extracts on various aspects of photosynthesis, with variable effects reported (negative to neutral to positive). We examined the effects of cyanobacterial live cultures and cell extracts (Microcystis aeruginosa or Anabaena flos-aquae) and individual cHAB toxins (anatoxin-a, ANA; beta-methyl-amino-L-alanine, BMAA; lipopolysaccharide, LPS; microcystin-LR, MC-LR) on photosynthesis in intact plants and leaf pieces in corn (Zea mays) and lettuce (Lactuca sativa). In intact plants grown in soil or hydroponically, overall net photosynthesis (Pn), but not Photosystem-II (PSII) electron-transport yield (ΦPSII), decreased when roots were exposed to cyanobacterial culture (whether with intact cells, cells removed, or cells lysed and removed) or individual toxins in solution (especially ANA, which also decreased rubisco activity); cyanobacterial culture also decreased leaf chlorophyll concentration. In contrast, ΦPSII decreased in leaf tissue vacuum-infiltrated with cyanobacterial culture or the individual toxins, LPS and MC-LR, though only in illuminated (vs. dark-adapted) leaves, and none of the toxins caused significant decreases in in vitro photosynthesis in thylakoids. Principal component analysis indicated unique overall effects of cyanobacterial culture and each toxin on photosynthesis. Hence, while cHAB toxins consistently impacted plant photosynthesis at ecologically relevant concentrations, the effects varied depending on the toxins and the mode of exposure. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Plant Photobiology)
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18 pages, 3526 KiB  
Article
Salicylic Acid Priming Improves Cotton Seedling Heat Tolerance through Photosynthetic Pigment Preservation, Enhanced Antioxidant Activity, and Osmoprotectant Levels
by Ashim Kumar Das, Protik Kumar Ghosh, Sheikh Arafat Islam Nihad, Sharmin Sultana, Sanjida Sultana Keya, Md. Abiar Rahman, Totan Kumar Ghosh, Munny Akter, Mehedi Hasan, Umme Salma, Md. Mahadi Hasan and Md. Mezanur Rahman
Plants 2024, 13(12), 1639; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13121639 - 14 Jun 2024
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1833
Abstract
The escalating global temperatures associated with climate change are detrimental to plant growth and development, leading to significant reductions in crop yields worldwide. Our research demonstrates that salicylic acid (SA), a phytohormone known for its growth-promoting properties, is crucial in enhancing heat tolerance [...] Read more.
The escalating global temperatures associated with climate change are detrimental to plant growth and development, leading to significant reductions in crop yields worldwide. Our research demonstrates that salicylic acid (SA), a phytohormone known for its growth-promoting properties, is crucial in enhancing heat tolerance in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum). This enhancement is achieved through modifications in various biochemical, physiological, and growth parameters. Under heat stress, cotton plants typically show significant growth disturbances, including leaf wilting, stunted growth, and reduced biomass. However, priming cotton plants with 1 mM SA significantly mitigated these adverse effects, evidenced by increases in shoot dry mass, leaf-water content, and chlorophyll concentrations in the heat-stressed plants. Heat stress also prompted an increase in hydrogen peroxide levels—a key reactive oxygen species—resulting in heightened electrolyte leakage and elevated malondialdehyde concentrations, which indicate severe impacts on cellular membrane integrity and oxidative stress. Remarkably, SA treatment significantly reduced these oxidative stresses by enhancing the activities of critical antioxidant enzymes, such as catalase, glutathione S-transferase, and ascorbate peroxidase. Additionally, the elevated levels of total soluble sugars in SA-treated plants enhanced osmotic regulation under heat stress. Overall, our findings reveal that SA-triggered protective mechanisms not only preserve photosynthetic pigments but also ameliorate oxidative stress and boost plant resilience in the face of elevated temperatures. In conclusion, the application of 1 mM SA is highly effective in enhancing heat tolerance in cotton and is recommended for field trials before being commercially used to improve crop resilience under increasing global temperatures. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Plant Photobiology)
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Review

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42 pages, 1199 KiB  
Review
Complex Signaling Networks Underlying Blue-Light-Mediated Floral Transition in Plants
by Yun Kong and Youbin Zheng
Plants 2025, 14(10), 1533; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14101533 - 20 May 2025
Viewed by 446
Abstract
Blue light (BL) is important in regulating floral transition. In a controlled environment production system, BL can be manipulated easily and precisely in aspects like peak wavelength, intensity, duration, and co-action with other wavelengths. However, the results of previous studies about BL-mediated floral [...] Read more.
Blue light (BL) is important in regulating floral transition. In a controlled environment production system, BL can be manipulated easily and precisely in aspects like peak wavelength, intensity, duration, and co-action with other wavelengths. However, the results of previous studies about BL-mediated floral transition are inconsistent, which implies that an in-depth critical examination of the relevant physiological mechanisms is necessary. This review consolidates the recent findings on the role of BL in mediating floral transition not only in model plants, such as Arabidopsis thaliana, but also in crops, especially horticultural crops. The photoreceptors, floral integrator proteins, signal pathways, and key network components involved in BL-mediated floral transition are critically reviewed. This review provides possible explanations for the contrasting results of previous studies on BL-mediated flowering; it provides valuable information to explain and develop BL manipulation strategies for mediating flowering, especially in horticultural plants. The review also identifies the knowledge gaps and outlines future directions for research in related fields. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Plant Photobiology)
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