Cell Separation Processes in Plant Development and Environmental Adaptation

Dear Colleagues,

The wall surrounding plant cells provides support and protection. However, the presence of a wall also hampers cell growth and prevents cell movement. During several stages of development and in response to abiotic and biotic stresses it is therefore necessary for plants to modulate their cell walls. In certain cases, such as during the formation of stomata, during the sloughing of root cap cells or during lateral root emergence the remodeling of the cell wall leads to separation of adjacent cells. The process of cell separation is also required during abscission, when entire plant organs that have served their purpose or have been injured or infected are lost, and when fruits and seeds are detached from the mother plant. As such, abscission has large agricultural implication for plant growth, production yield and postharvest storage.

This Special Issue of Plants will focus on cell separation events during plant development, in reproduction and in defense. We welcome articles (original research papers, perspectives, hypotheses, opinions, reviews, modeling approaches and methods) elucidating cell separation processes in different organs of model species and crops from different perspectives, like evolution, genetics, development, biochemistry, and –omic studies.

Prof. Reidunn Birgitta Aalen
Assoc. Prof. Melinka A. Butenko
Guest Editors

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