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Plant Hormone Signaling: Molecular Mechanisms and Integrated Functions
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Plant Hormone Signaling: Molecular Mechanisms and Integrated Functions

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2026 | Viewed by 796

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Zhijuan Wang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
Interests: ABA signaling; salt stress; drought stress
Dr. Hongtao Zhao

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Life Science, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang 050024, China
Interests: epigenetics; abiotic stress; crop improvement

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Plant hormones are pivotal orchestrators of virtually every aspect of plant life, from embryogenesis to senescence. They regulate growth, development, and metabolism, and are central to plants' adaptive responses to a constantly changing environment. This Special Issue, titled "Plant Hormone Signaling: Molecular Mechanisms and Integrated Functions," explores the sophisticated molecular networks through which plant hormones coordinate growth, development, and stress adaptation. The contributions included will highlight recent advances in understanding canonical and non-canonical signaling pathways—from hormone perception and transmembrane transduction to transcriptional reprogramming and post-translational regulation. Emphasis is placed on the integration of multiple hormone signals, revealing how crosstalk between auxin, cytokinin, abscisic acid, jasmonate, and other hormones fine-tunes physiological outcomes.

A key focus is placed on the practical applications of this fundamental knowledge. This Special Issue features research elucidating how hormone signaling modulates crop traits such as stress resilience, nutrient use efficiency, and architecture, thereby offering potential strategies for sustainable agriculture and yield improvement in the face of climate change.

By synthesizing the latest discoveries from molecular genetics, structural biology, and systems biology, this Special Issue provides a comprehensive overview of the dynamic field of plant hormone signaling. It aims to serve as a valuable resource for researchers and inspire future investigations into the intricate molecular dialogues that govern plant life.

Dr. Zhijuan Wang
Dr. Hongtao Zhao
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 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

  • hormone crosstalk
  • signal transduction
  • receptor kinases
  • transcriptional regulation
  • stress resilience
  • crop improvement

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

24 pages, 3062 KB  
Article
Nitric Oxide Enhances Drought Tolerance in Gossypium hirsutum L. via S-Nitrosylation of the Plasma Membrane H+-ATPase Isoform GhHA2 and Antioxidant Defense Activation
by Yiping Sui, Shuying Li, Xiaoli Tian, Fangjun Li and Zhaohu Li
Plants 2026, 15(10), 1463; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants15101463 - 11 May 2026
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Abstract
(1) Background: Nitric oxide (NO) serves as a crucial signaling molecule in plant abiotic stress responses. Although its role in enhancing drought resistance in cotton has been recognized, the specific mechanisms underlying this physiological and molecular regulation remain largely unexplored. This study aims [...] Read more.
(1) Background: Nitric oxide (NO) serves as a crucial signaling molecule in plant abiotic stress responses. Although its role in enhancing drought resistance in cotton has been recognized, the specific mechanisms underlying this physiological and molecular regulation remain largely unexplored. This study aims to elucidate the multi-layered mechanisms by which NO modulates drought resistance in cotton; (2) Methods: Cotton seedlings were subjected to drought stress with the application of the NO donor sodium nitroprusside (SNP). A combination of confocal laser scanning microscopy, transcriptional expression analysis, biochemical assay of enzyme activity, virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS), and in vitro protein modification assays was applied to characterize the effects of NO on the drought stress response in cotton; (3) Results: Exogenous NO significantly reinforced drought resistance in cotton seedlings by improving leaf water retention capacity and photosynthetic efficiency, eliminating excessive drought-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS), upregulating the transcription and enzymatic activity of antioxidant enzymes, and promoting stomatal closure. Mechanistically, NO triggered S-nitrosylation of the plasma membrane H+-ATPase isoform GhHA2, thereby enhancing its protein stability; (4) Conclusions: These findings reveal that exogenous NO orchestrates cotton drought tolerance via multiple interconnected physiological and molecular pathways, in which the activation of the antioxidant defense system and the modulation of stomatal closure serve as central regulatory mechanisms. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Hormone Signaling: Molecular Mechanisms and Integrated Functions)
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22 pages, 3520 KB  
Article
Multi-Omics Analysis Sheds Light on the Relative Roles of Hormones and Nutrients in Regulating Secondary Flowering in Prunus subhirtella ‘Autumnalis’
by Zichao Kan, Yanxia Xu, Guoshuai Li, Wenhui Wang, Pengyi Wang and Chunling Zhou
Plants 2026, 15(5), 812; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants15050812 - 6 Mar 2026
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Abstract
Cherry blossom trees are iconic ornamental plants of the spring known for their vibrant colors and elegant forms. However, their short flowering period limits their ornamental value. Prunus subhirtella ‘Autumnalis’ is notable for its ability to flower a second time in autumn. Study [...] Read more.
Cherry blossom trees are iconic ornamental plants of the spring known for their vibrant colors and elegant forms. However, their short flowering period limits their ornamental value. Prunus subhirtella ‘Autumnalis’ is notable for its ability to flower a second time in autumn. Study of the secondary flowering of this variety may offer insights into the development of cherry blossoms. Here, we studied the secondary flowering of Prunus subhirtella ‘Autumnalis’ by collecting three types of flower buds: the terminal buds of long branches in autumn (LB), the basal buds of short branches in autumn (SB), and flower buds in spring (FB). Transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses were then conducted on autumn flower buds to identify key metabolic pathways associated with secondary flowering. These pathways were primarily involved in nutrient accumulation and plant hormone biosynthesis. We then quantified changes in indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), abscisic acid (ABA), jasmonic acid (JA), and gibberellic acid (GA3), as well as levels of soluble protein, soluble sugar, and starch in flower buds. Correlation analysis indicated that IAA was necessary for flower bud development; ABA was weakly correlated with secondary flowering; and JA was significantly negatively correlated with secondary flowering. The GA3 content was higher in LB than in SB and was significantly positively correlated with secondary flowering. Additionally, nutrient levels were higher in LB than in SB, suggesting that the accumulation of sufficient nutrients supports the second bloom. Correlation analysis revealed that ABA and GA3 levels were positively correlated in flower buds, but GA3 was negatively correlated with JA levels. This study provides a theoretical basis for understanding the molecular and physiological mechanisms underlying the secondary flowering phenomenon in Prunus subhirtella ‘Autumnalis’ and offers valuable insights for extending the ornamental period of cherry blossom trees. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Hormone Signaling: Molecular Mechanisms and Integrated Functions)
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