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Advancements in Palmaceae Research: Genomic Insights, Trait Analysis, and Breeding...
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Advancements in Palmaceae Research: Genomic Insights, Trait Analysis, and Breeding Innovations

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 1 January 2026 | Viewed by 1574

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Wei Xia

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Tropical Agriculture and Forestry, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China
Interests: molecular breeding; identification and validation of elite alleles; gene function validation via genetic and molecular levels; gene network
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Yong Xiao

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Tropical Agriculture and Forestry, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China
Interests: coconut molecular breeding; coconut genomics; GWAS

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The Palmaceae family, commonly known as the palm family, encompasses a diverse group of economically and ecologically significant plants, such as coconut, oil palm, date palm, and Areca nut. From providing essential food sources and raw materials to enhancing biodiversity and landscape esthetics, palms play a crucial role in both human livelihoods and ecosystem health. This Special Issue seeks to gather together cutting-edge research on the Palmaceae family, focusing on various aspects such as trait characterization, comparative genomics, breeding strategies, and multi-omics analyses. Contributions are encouraged that explore genetic and phenotypic diversity within palm species, innovative breeding techniques to enhance desirable traits, and the application of multi-omics approaches to understand the underlying biological mechanisms.

Potential topics include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Detailed trait analysis of economically important palm species;
  • Comparative genomic studies revealing evolutionary relationships and adaptations;
  • Breeding programs aimed at improving yield, disease resistance, and climate resilience in palms;
  • Multi-omics approaches integrating genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics for a holistic understanding of palm biology;
  • The role of environmental factors in shaping palm traits and genomic adaptations;
  • Genetic mapping and marker-assisted selection in palm breeding.

We invite researchers from diverse disciplines to submit original research articles, reviews, and case studies that will contribute to the growing body of knowledge in palm science and promote sustainable practices in palm cultivation and utilization.

Prof. Dr. Wei Xia
Dr. Yong Xiao
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

  • Palmaceae
  • genetic diversity
  • trait analysis
  • multi-omics
  • comparative genomics
  • crop improvement
  • marker-assisted selection
  • evolutionary biology

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

13 pages, 1899 KB  
Article
Development of a Multiplex RT-PCR Assay for Simultaneous Detection of Velarivirus arecae, Arepavirus arecae and Arepavirus arecamaculatum
by Kexin Sun, Li Zhang, Zemu Li, Peng Zhao and Siyu Wan
Plants 2025, 14(23), 3683; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14233683 - 3 Dec 2025
Viewed by 101
Abstract
Areca Palm Velarivirus 1 (Velarivirus arecae, APV1), Areca palm necrotic ringspot virus (Arepavirus arecae, ANRSV), and Areca palm necrotic spindle-spot virus (Arepavirus arecamaculatum, ANSSV) are major viral pathogens that cause significant economic losses in areca palm cultivation. [...] Read more.
Areca Palm Velarivirus 1 (Velarivirus arecae, APV1), Areca palm necrotic ringspot virus (Arepavirus arecae, ANRSV), and Areca palm necrotic spindle-spot virus (Arepavirus arecamaculatum, ANSSV) are major viral pathogens that cause significant economic losses in areca palm cultivation. Rapid and reliable detection methods are essential for the early diagnosis and management of these viruses in affected regions. Specific primers were designed based on the Coat Protein (CP) gene sequences of the three target viruses: APV1. A specific primer pair targeting the coat protein (CP) region was designed for APV1, while primer pairs for ANRSV and ANSSV were designed based on conserved sequences surrounding the Nla-VPg/Nla-Pro protease cleavage sites. A multiplex reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (multiplex RT-PCR) assay was subsequently developed to simultaneously amplify the target sequences. The multiplex RT-PCR detection system was optimized by adjusting critical parameters, including the annealing temperature, extension time, and number of cycles, to ensure high specificity and sensitivity. The optimized multiplex reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (multiplex RT-PCR) successfully yielded distinct amplification products for all three target viruses: 938 bp for APV1, 527 bp for ANRSV, and 250 bp for ANSSV. The size differences among the amplicons allowed them to be clearly distinguishable by 2% agarose gel electrophoresis. The optimal reaction conditions were determined to be an annealing temperature of 53.4 °C and 35 cycles. Applying the optimized multiplex RT-PCR method, we analyzed 414 field samples collected from Hainan province. APV1 was identified as the most prevalent virus, detected in 22.71% of the total samples. ANRSV and ANSSV were detected at significantly lower rates, in 3.86% and 0.2% of the samples, respectively. Virus detection in areca samples from Hainan Island revealed clear regional differences in disease incidence, with higher rates in the eastern and central regions—particularly Baoting, Lingshui, Wanning, and Qionghai—averaging 46.73%. Together, these results demonstrate that the developed multiplex RT-PCR is a sensitive and practical tool for the routine molecular diagnosis and epidemiological investigation of APV1, ANRSV, and ANSSV in areca palms. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advancements in Palmaceae Research: Genomic Insights, Trait Analysis, and Breeding Innovations)
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14 pages, 2538 KB  
Article
Transcriptomic Insights into the Effects of Inoculation Density in Areca catechu Tissue Culture
by Jinqi Yan, Yu Li, Zijia Liu, Yusheng Zheng, Jixin Zou and Dongdong Li
Plants 2025, 14(19), 3073; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14193073 - 4 Oct 2025
Viewed by 498
Abstract
Tissue culture technology represents a promising strategy for addressing the supply constraints of Areca catechu seedlings. Significant differences in embryoid proliferation were observed between isolated (CK) and aggregated (GL) culture conditions during subculture. To elucidate the underlying mechanisms, transcriptomic analysis was performed. Growth [...] Read more.
Tissue culture technology represents a promising strategy for addressing the supply constraints of Areca catechu seedlings. Significant differences in embryoid proliferation were observed between isolated (CK) and aggregated (GL) culture conditions during subculture. To elucidate the underlying mechanisms, transcriptomic analysis was performed. Growth analysis indicated that GL embryoids exhibited the highest growth rate (50.2%) between days 12 and 15, with a peak proliferation efficiency of 50.52%. KEGG analysis identified plant hormone signaling as a key pathway. ELISA quantification demonstrated consistently higher JA levels in CK embryos, peaking at 294.06 ng/g on day 15, while IAA levels were significantly elevated in GL embryos (46.42 ng/g on day 15). The transcription factor AcGIF1 was identified as a central regulator, with further experiments confirming that JA negatively regulates and IAA positively regulates its expression. This study provides critical insights into the molecular mechanisms governing embryoid proliferation in response to inoculation density. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advancements in Palmaceae Research: Genomic Insights, Trait Analysis, and Breeding Innovations)
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18 pages, 10675 KB  
Article
Evolutionary Insights and Flowering Regulation of SPLs in Coconut Palm
by Runan Chen, Yalan Feng, Jin Zhou, Ying Wang, Fengyi Zhang, Shazia Rehman, Zhuang Yang, Zifen Lao, Hang Xu, Yong Xiao, Jie Luo and Wei Xia
Plants 2025, 14(16), 2532; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14162532 - 14 Aug 2025
Viewed by 697
Abstract
Squamosa Promoter-Binding Protein Like (SPL) is a critical transcription factor that plays a significant role in regulating plant growth and development. Mining the coconut SPL family offers valuable insights into the regulation of important agronomic traits, including the length of the [...] Read more.
Squamosa Promoter-Binding Protein Like (SPL) is a critical transcription factor that plays a significant role in regulating plant growth and development. Mining the coconut SPL family offers valuable insights into the regulation of important agronomic traits, including the length of the juvenile phase. In this study, 25 CnSPLs were identified and were classified into eight subfamilies. Analysis of gene structure and conserved protein motifs indicated a high conservation of CnSPLs within the same subfamilies; however, variations in protein structure and gene length were observed across different subfamilies. Gene expansion analysis indicated that most gene members within subfamilies originated from duplications of the same genomic segment, and transposable element insertion contributed to the divergence of gene sequences within these subfamilies. Characterization of the miR156 target sequence in SPL transcripts revealed that subfamilies IV to VIII contained these sequences, while subfamilies I to III did not. In both coconut and 14 other plant species, some SPLs lost their miR156-binding loci due to gene structure variations. The gene expression profiles revealed significant divergence between miR156-targeted and non-targeted CnSPLs; the former exhibited low expression levels in the endosperm, while the latter showed comparable expression across all tissues. Notably, CnSPL15A demonstrated steadily increasing expression levels in leaves throughout successive leaf primordia and significantly promoted flowering when overexpressed in Arabidopsis. Transient expression assays and 5′ RACE confirmed that CnSPLs are targeted by miR156. This study establishes a foundation for investigating the evolutionary characteristics of CnSPLs and provides a theoretical framework for analyzing the functions of key CnSPLs involved in the coconut flowering control pathway. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advancements in Palmaceae Research: Genomic Insights, Trait Analysis, and Breeding Innovations)
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