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Development of Woody Plants
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Development of Woody Plants

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 October 2025 | Viewed by 2891

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Jinzhi Zhang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Biology (Ministry of Education), College of Horticulture and Forestry Science, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
Interests: plant flowering; plant development; water stress; low temperature; flowering regulation; flower bud differentiation; leaf development
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The topic of the development of woody plants encompasses a multifaceted exploration of various interrelated aspects. Scientists investigate the morphogenesis and growth patterns of trees, scrutinizing the influence of environmental factors such as light and soil composition on their development. Physiological processes, including photosynthesis and responses to stressors, are studied alongside the genetic regulation governing growth and differentiation. Reproductive biology, ecosystem interactions, and wood formation, with a keen eye on quality, contribute to a holistic understanding, and the exploration of biotechnological applications, including genetic engineering, aims to enhance traits. Moreover, the research addresses the critical issue of climate change resilience, investigating how woody plants adapt and strategies to mitigate environmental impacts. This Special Issue primarily focuses on the following aspects of woody plant development:

  • Morphogenesis and growth patterns: Understanding how woody plants grow and develop, including the formation and arrangement of different plant structures like stems, roots, leaves, and reproductive organs.
  • Environmental influences: Investigating how external factors such as light, temperature, and soil composition impact the growth and development of woody plants, with a focus on adapting to changing environmental conditions.
  • Genetic regulation: Studying the genetic basis of woody plant development, focusing on the expression and regulation of genes that control growth, differentiation, and other crucial processes.
  • Reproductive biology: Examining the reproductive strategies of woody plants, from flowering and pollination to seed development, and understanding how these processes contribute to the life cycle of trees.
  • Wood formation and quality: Studying the process of wood formation and factors influencing wood quality, with implications for the economic and industrial uses of different types of wood.
  • Biotechnology and genetic engineering: Applying biotechnological methods to improve specific traits in woody plants, such as disease resistance or wood quality, and studying the potential impacts of genetic engineering on their development.
  • Climate change resilience: Investigating how woody plants cope with and adapt to changing climatic conditions, with a focus on strategies for resilience and potential interventions to mitigate the effects of climate change.

Prof. Dr. Jinzhi Zhang
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

  • vascular cambium
  • xylem
  • woody plant development
  • environmental influences
  • genetic regulation
  • reproductive biology
  • wood formation

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

17 pages, 2754 KiB  
Article
The Impact of Seed Treatment with Cold Plasma on Antioxidants, Sugars, and Pigments in Needles of Norway Spruce Is Genotype-Dependent
by Ieva Čėsnienė, Vytautas Čėsna, Vida Mildažienė, Diana Miškelytė, Dorotėja Vaitiekūnaitė and Vaida Sirgedaitė-Šėžienė
Plants 2025, 14(9), 1404; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14091404 - 7 May 2025
Viewed by 262
Abstract
Forests face increasing threats due to climate change and anthropogenic pressures, exacerbating plant stress and disease susceptibility. Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) H. Karst.), a key conifer species in European forestry, is particularly vulnerable. Developing innovative seed treatments to enhance tree resilience [...] Read more.
Forests face increasing threats due to climate change and anthropogenic pressures, exacerbating plant stress and disease susceptibility. Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) H. Karst.), a key conifer species in European forestry, is particularly vulnerable. Developing innovative seed treatments to enhance tree resilience is crucial for sustainable forest management. Despite the growing interest in cold plasma (CP) technology for seed treatment, research on its long-term effects on trees, particularly Norway spruce, remains scarce. This study aimed to investigate the effects of pre-sowing CP treatment on Norway spruce seeds from 10 half-sib families over two vegetation seasons. Results indicate that CP treatment influenced key physiological and biochemical parameters in a genotype-specific and treatment duration-dependent manner (1 or 2 min). In some cases, CP-treated seedlings exhibited increased chlorophyll levels (e.g., increased chlorophyll a by up to 49% in some genotypes treated with CP for 1 min, and by up to 35% in those treated with CP for 2 min), reduced malondialdehyde (MDA) content in second-year samples (by up to 52% in some genotypes), and enhanced production of phenolics (by up to 21% in some genotypes in both treatment groups), suggesting improved stress tolerance. The 541 half-sib family is particularly noteworthy, as first-year seedlings exhibited increased levels of chlorophylls, flavonoids, and total phenols following a 2 min treatment. In contrast, second-year seedlings of the same family showed an increase in flavonoids and a reduction in MDA levels compared to the control, indicating a sustained and possibly age-modulated physiological response to CP exposure (2 min). However, responses varied across genetic backgrounds, highlighting the importance of genotype in determining treatment efficacy. These findings underscore the potential of CP technology as a tool for improving Norway spruce resilience and inform future strategies for seed enhancement in forestry. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Development of Woody Plants)
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17 pages, 5174 KiB  
Article
Mechanical Properties and Optimization Strategies of Tree Fork Structures
by Yi-Sen Peng, Bai-You Cheng and Tung-Chi Liu
Plants 2025, 14(2), 167; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14020167 - 9 Jan 2025
Viewed by 932
Abstract
Trees are complex and dynamic living structures, where structural stability is essential for survival and for public safety in urban environments. Tree forks, as structural junctions, are key to tree integrity but are prone to failure under stress. The specific mechanical contributions of [...] Read more.
Trees are complex and dynamic living structures, where structural stability is essential for survival and for public safety in urban environments. Tree forks, as structural junctions, are key to tree integrity but are prone to failure under stress. The specific mechanical contributions of their internal conical structures remain largely unexplored. This study explores how conical structures optimize stress distribution, filling key gaps in the understanding of tree fork mechanics and supporting safety assessments. This study focused on the following factors: (1) external shape, (2) internal conical reinforcement, (3) interface of the conical connection, and (4) material changes within the conical structure. By analyzing physical samples to extract structural and morphological features, simulating these features in controlled variable models, and performing finite element analysis, we explored mechanical behavior, stress distribution, and performance characteristics, revealing the factors and mechanisms that strengthen tree forks. Insights from this study may facilitate safety assessments and inform pruning strategies for urban tree management. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Development of Woody Plants)
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15 pages, 1744 KiB  
Article
Early Growth and Physiological Acclimation to Shade and Water Restriction of Seven Sclerophyllous Species of the Mediterranean Forests of Central Chile
by Marco A. Yáñez, Sergio E. Espinoza, Carlos R. Magni and Eduardo Martínez-Herrera
Plants 2024, 13(17), 2410; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13172410 - 29 Aug 2024
Viewed by 1186
Abstract
The success of using active restoration in Mediterranean-type climate zones mostly depends on an appropriate matching of plant species and specific management prescriptions upon establishment. In this study, we assessed the early growth and short-term physiological acclimation of seven common species found in [...] Read more.
The success of using active restoration in Mediterranean-type climate zones mostly depends on an appropriate matching of plant species and specific management prescriptions upon establishment. In this study, we assessed the early growth and short-term physiological acclimation of seven common species found in the sclerophyllous forests in central Chile to water restriction and shading. We established a nursery experiment that included three treatments (T0: sun-exposed and water-restricted, T1: sun-exposed and fully irrigated, and T2: shaded and fully irrigated) and seven tree species differing in their shade and drought tolerance (Quillaja saponaria Molina, Aristotelia chilensis (Mol.) Stuntz, Peumus boldus Molina, Lithraea caustica (Mol.) Hook. and Arn, Luma apiculata (DC.) Burret, Colliguaja odorifera Molina, and Escallonia pulverulenta (Ruiz and Prav.) Pers). We measured the increment in seedling height and different leaf morpho-physiological traits during two months in the dry season. Based on the measured traits, none of the species took advantage of the higher water availability in T1 relative to T0, but most of the species responded to the shade in T2, regardless of their shade or drought tolerance. Height increments due to shade varied from 0% in P. boldus to 203% in L. apiculata. Overall, all the species responded similarly to the treatments in specific leaf area, chlorophyll content index, photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, and intrinsic water use efficiency. This suggests that the species exhibited similar acclimation patterns of these parameters to shade and drought, even regarding the variation in midday xylem water potential found in the water-restricted treatment T0 (from −1.5 MPa in P. boldus to −3.1 MPa in E. pulverulenta). In this study, shading had a higher positive effect on the seedling performance of sclerophyllous species than watering, which at operational level highlights the need for investing in tree shelters when using these species in restoration programs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Development of Woody Plants)
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