Integrative Approaches to Understanding and Improving Plant Stress Tolerance

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: 20 October 2025 | Viewed by 4027

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Chemistry, College of Environmental Science and Forestry State University of New York, Syracuse, NY 13210, USA
Interests: plant biochemistry and molecular physiology; phytohormones; abiotic stress; stress mitigation; gene regulation; heavy metal toxicity; antioxidant defense; oxidative stress; methylglyoxal; sulphur metabolism; redox balance; nutrient homeostasis; stress signaling
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Guest Editor
Adaptive Cropping Systems Laboratory, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Beltsville, MD 20705, USA
Interests: photosynthesis; plant–water relations; climate change; elevated CO2; water stress; high-temperature stress; plant adaptation to environment
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue, “Integrative Approaches to Understanding and Improving Plant Stress Tolerance”, invites contributions that explore various aspects of plant stress responses and resilience. As global environmental challenges intensify, enhancing plant stress tolerance is crucial for sustainable agriculture and food security.

This Special Issue aims to gather diverse perspectives and innovations from molecular biology, physiology, agronomy, and other disciplines to advance our understanding of how plants cope with stressors. We welcome research articles and reviews addressing integrative approaches to stress tolerance, such as genetic and epigenetic approaches, the development of novel stress-resistant crop varieties, and field applications. Contributions highlighting new methodologies for assessing stress responses and practical applications for improving crop resilience are particularly encouraged.

By fostering interdisciplinary dialogue, this Special Issue aims to provide a comprehensive overview of current advances in plant stress tolerance research while facilitating new insights and collaborative opportunities within the scientific community.

Dr. Mohammad G. Mostofa
Dr. James A. Bunce
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • plants
  • stress tolerance
  • stress responses
  • integrative approaches

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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26 pages, 2281 KB  
Article
Soil-Gradient-Derived Bacterial Synthetic Communities Enhance Drought Tolerance in Quercus pubescens and Sorbus domestica Seedlings
by Ivan Aleksieienko, Mariana Fernandes Hertel, Jérôme Reilhan, Marie de Castro, Bertrand Légeret, Halley Caixeta Oliveira, Ilja M. Reiter and Catherine Santaella
Plants 2025, 14(11), 1659; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14111659 - 29 May 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1150
Abstract
Climate-change-induced drought threatens forest restoration by limiting seedling establishment. To address this, we developed synthetic bacterial communities (SynComs) tailored to support drought tolerance in two Mediterranean tree species, Quercus pubescens and Sorbus domestica. Bacteria were isolated from forest soil exposed to long-term [...] Read more.
Climate-change-induced drought threatens forest restoration by limiting seedling establishment. To address this, we developed synthetic bacterial communities (SynComs) tailored to support drought tolerance in two Mediterranean tree species, Quercus pubescens and Sorbus domestica. Bacteria were isolated from forest soil exposed to long-term drought, sampling across soil depths and root-associated compartments. We selected strains with key plant-beneficial traits, including exopolysaccharide (EPS) production, hormone synthesis (auxin, ABA), siderophore release, and osmotic tolerance. SynComs were assembled based on functional complementarity and ecological origin. Biofilm assays showed that even weak individual producers could enhance community-level performance. After initial screening on Arabidopsis thaliana, the most and least effective SynComs were tested on Q. pubescens and S. domestica seedlings. Compared to controls, the best-performing SynComs reduced the proportion of drought-symptomatic seedlings by 47% in Q. pubescens and 71% in S. domestica, outperforming single-strain inoculants. Notably, EPS-rich SynCom B aligned with the conservative root traits of Q. pubescens, while hormone-rich SynCom F matched the acquisitive strategy of S. domestica. Predictive modeling identified bacterial identity and symptom timing as key predictors of drought resilience. Our results highlight the value of matching microbial traits with plant strategies and drought context for climate-smart forest restoration. Full article
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Review

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14 pages, 1091 KB  
Review
Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid: A Novel Biomolecule to Improve Plant Resistance and Fruit Quality
by Jingrong Wang, Shaokun Sun, Wei Fang, Xin Fu, Fuguo Cao and Shujun Liu
Plants 2025, 14(14), 2162; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14142162 - 13 Jul 2025
Viewed by 650
Abstract
Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), a ubiquitous non-protein amino acid, plays a vital role in the response of plants to biotic and abiotic stresses. This review summarizes the underlying mechanisms through which GABA contributes to plant stress resistance, including its biosynthetic and metabolic pathways, as [...] Read more.
Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), a ubiquitous non-protein amino acid, plays a vital role in the response of plants to biotic and abiotic stresses. This review summarizes the underlying mechanisms through which GABA contributes to plant stress resistance, including its biosynthetic and metabolic pathways, as well as its regulatory roles in enhancing stress tolerance and improving fruit quality. In plants, GABA is primarily synthesized from glutamate by the enzyme glutamate decarboxylase (GAD) and further metabolized by GABA transaminase (GABA-T) and succinic semialdehyde dehydrogenase (SSADH). The accumulation of GABA regulates various physiological and biochemical processes, including the control of stomatal closure, enhancement of antioxidant capacity, maintenance of ionic homeostasis, and stabilization of cellular pH. Moreover, GABA interacts with phytohormones to regulate plant growth, development, and stress tolerance. Notably, increasing GAD expression through genetic engineering has been shown to enhance tolerance to stresses, such as drought, saline-alkali, cold, and heat, in various plants, including tomato, rice, and creeping bentgrass. Additionally, GABA has effectively improved the storage quality of various fruits, including citrus fruits, apples, and strawberries. In conclusion, GABA holds significant research potential and promising applications in agricultural production and plant science. Full article
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26 pages, 1143 KB  
Review
Alleviation of Plant Abiotic Stress: Mechanistic Insights into Emerging Applications of Phosphate-Solubilizing Microorganisms in Agriculture
by Xiujie Wang, Zhe Li, Qi Li and Zhenqi Hu
Plants 2025, 14(10), 1558; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14101558 - 21 May 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 730
Abstract
Global agricultural productivity and ecosystem sustainability face escalating threats from multiple abiotic stresses, particularly heavy metal contamination, drought, and soil salinization. In this context, developing effective strategies to enhance plant stress tolerance has emerged as a critical research frontier. Phosphate-solubilizing microorganisms (PSMs) have [...] Read more.
Global agricultural productivity and ecosystem sustainability face escalating threats from multiple abiotic stresses, particularly heavy metal contamination, drought, and soil salinization. In this context, developing effective strategies to enhance plant stress tolerance has emerged as a critical research frontier. Phosphate-solubilizing microorganisms (PSMs) have garnered significant scientific attention due to their capacity to convert insoluble soil phosphorus into plant-available forms through metabolite production, and concurrently exhibiting multifaceted plant growth-promoting traits. Notably, PSMs demonstrate remarkable potential in enhancing plant resilience and productivity under multiple stress conditions. This review article systematically examines current applications of PSMs in typical abiotic stress environments, including heavy metal-polluted soils, arid ecosystems, and saline–alkaline lands. We comprehensively analyze the stress-alleviation effects of PSMs and elucidate their underlying mechanisms. Furthermore, we identify key knowledge gaps and propose future research directions in microbial-assisted phytoremediation and stress-mitigation strategies, offering novel insights for developing next-generation bioinoculants and advancing sustainable agricultural practices in challenging environments. Full article
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18 pages, 942 KB  
Review
Analysis of Electrome as a Tool for Plant Monitoring: Progress and Perspectives
by Elizaveta Kozlova, Lyubov Yudina, Ekaterina Sukhova and Vladimir Sukhov
Plants 2025, 14(10), 1500; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14101500 - 16 May 2025
Viewed by 876
Abstract
In recent years, the electromic approach, which is based on the ‘electrome’ concept, to the analysis of electrical activity in plants has become increasingly relevant, as it can allow the detection of early signs of stress and the classification of external factors on [...] Read more.
In recent years, the electromic approach, which is based on the ‘electrome’ concept, to the analysis of electrical activity in plants has become increasingly relevant, as it can allow the detection of early signs of stress and the classification of external factors on the basis of complex, systemic changes in electrical parameters. However, the mechanisms underlying the observed complex effects remain unresolved. This review describes the main electrical signals in plants and their influence on physiological processes and tolerance to abiotic stressors, discusses limitations of traditional methods of investigation of electrical activity, summarizes modern strategies for electrome analysis, and considers the prospect of applying mathematical modeling to interpret the electromic data. We suggest that the integration of the electromic approach and mathematical modeling can greatly enhance the ability to investigate plant electrical signaling, opening new ways for fundamental and applied research in plant electrophysiology. Full article
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