Molecular Mechanisms and Epigenetic Regulation of Abiotic Stress Tolerance in Plants

A special issue of Plants (ISSN 2223-7747). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant Genetics, Genomics and Biotechnology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 February 2026 | Viewed by 1623

Special Issue Editors


E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
Interests: abiotic stress; cucurbits; cucumber; pumpkin; salinity; drought; horticulture; plant biotechnology

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
Interests: horticulture research; plant physiology; plant protection

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Abiotic stresses such as drought, salinity, extreme temperatures, heavy metal contamination, and nutrient deficiency/toxicity pose significant challenges to global agriculture, threatening crop productivity and food security. Understanding the molecular mechanisms and epigenetic regulations underlying plant tolerance to these environmental challenges is critical for developing resilient crop varieties and ensuring sustainable agriculture in the face of climate change.

This Special Issue aims to collate cutting-edge research and reviews on the molecular pathways and epigenetic modifications that govern abiotic stress tolerance in plants.

Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:

1. Identification and functional characterization of genes and proteins involved in stress-responsive pathways.

2. Role of signaling molecules, transcription factors, and regulatory networks in abiotic stress tolerance and adaptation.

3. Advances in understanding epigenetic modifications, such as DNA methylation, histone modifications, and non-coding RNAs, in modulating stress tolerance.

4. Integrative omics approaches (genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics) for dissecting stress tolerance mechanisms.

5. Application of genome editing tools, such as CRISPR-Cas9, to enhance abiotic stress resilience in crops.

6. Translational research for the development of stress-tolerant crops through molecular breeding or biotechnological interventions.

By highlighting the latest advances in this dynamic field, this Special Issue seeks to provide a platform for researchers to share their findings and foster collaborations aimed at addressing global agricultural challenges.

Dr. Hamza Sohail
Dr. Xiaodong Yang
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.

Keywords

  • abiotic stress
  • molecular mechanisms
  • epigenetic regulation
  • stress signaling pathways
  • climate-resilient crops

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Published Papers

This special issue is now open for submission.
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