Solanaceae Plants Genetics

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 November 2025) | Viewed by 3182

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
1. Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, Campo Experimental Villarino, National University of Rosario, Zavalla S2125ZAA, Argentina
2. Institute for Agricultural Research of Rosario (IICAR-CONICET-UNR), Campo Experimental Villarino, National University of Rosario, Zavalla S2125ZAA, Argentina
Interests: tomato breeding; plant genetics; vegetables genetic resources; fruit quality; metabolite composition

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Guest Editor
Institute for the Conservation and Improvement of Valencian Agrodiversity (COMAV), Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera s/n, 46022 Valencia, Spain
Interests: Solanaceae breeding; vegetable genetic resources; plant genomics; tolerance to abiotic stresses; adaptation to climate change; introgression breeding
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The Solanaceae family, encompassing approximately 2700 species, plays a central role in our agricultural and cultural landscape. Among its economically significant crops are tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum), potatoes (Solanum tuberosum), peppers (genus Capsicum), and eggplants (Solanum melongena). Beyond their culinary use, certain Solanaceae species—such as petunias and tobacco—have deep historical and cultural roots.

This Special Issue focuses on Solanaceae genetics. Since the early 20th century, these species were models for studying traits like fruit shape and fruit color and disease resistance. Notably, the discovery of self-incompatibility mechanisms in tomatoes and peppers shed light on intricate reproductive processes. However, it is the genomics era that has revolutionized our understanding.

Genomic sequencing projects have unveiled gene families orchestrating fruit and tuber development, disease resistance pathways, and flavor profiles. Comparative genomics has revealed shared features across Solanaceae members, transcending species boundaries. Transcriptomics provided snapshots of gene network regulation under allele changes or differential environmental experimental conditions. Recent developments in biotechnological tools, exemplified by CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing, promise precise modifications.

This Special Issue invites research articles that showcase cutting-edge advancements in Solanaceae genetics. By delving into the uncharted diversity and unraveling the genetic underpinnings of complex traits—such as soil salinity tolerance, nutritional composition, flavor enhancement, and resistance to emerging pathogens—breeders can develop more productive, nutritional, and resilient varieties.

Dr. Gustavo Rubén Rodríguez
Prof. Dr. Jaime Prohens
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • breeding
  • eggplant
  • genetic resources
  • genomics
  • petunia
  • potato
  • tobacco
  • tomato

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

26 pages, 9049 KB  
Article
Physiological, Biochemical, and Transcriptomic Responses to Iron Deficiency in Two Potato Varieties
by Xiangying Ma, Yanping Zhang, Shenglong Yang, Miaomiao He, Yun Zhou, Guangji Ye and Jian Wang
Plants 2025, 14(18), 2934; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14182934 - 21 Sep 2025
Viewed by 793
Abstract
This study aimed to elucidate the physiological, biochemical, and transcriptional regulatory responses of potato plants to iron deficiency stress. Two potato varieties were selected for analysis: 05P (high tuber iron content) and CI5 (low tuber iron content). Tissue culture seedlings of both varieties [...] Read more.
This study aimed to elucidate the physiological, biochemical, and transcriptional regulatory responses of potato plants to iron deficiency stress. Two potato varieties were selected for analysis: 05P (high tuber iron content) and CI5 (low tuber iron content). Tissue culture seedlings of both varieties were subjected to iron deficiency, and the effects on stem length, root length, fresh weight, soluble sugar and protein contents, as well as the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), malondialdehyde (MDA), and leaf chlorophyll content (SPAD) values were evaluated. Additionally, the impact of iron deficiency on zinc (Zn), magnesium (Mg), calcium (Ca), manganese (Mn), and copper (Cu) concentrations in different tissues were analyzed. Transcriptomic sequencing and quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) were performed on various seedling tissues. The results showed that iron deficiency significantly inhibited seedling growth and development, resulting in reduced plant height and fresh weight, increased root length, decreased leaf SPAD content, and elevated soluble sugar and protein concentration. SOD, POD, and MDA activities were also significantly increased. Elemental analysis revealed that iron deficiency enhanced the uptake and accumulation of Zn, Mg, Ca, Mn, and Cu across different tissues. Transcriptomic analysis identified differentially expressed genes (DEGs) significantly enriched in pathways related to photosynthesis, carbon metabolism, and ribosome function in roots, stems, and leaves. Iron deficiency induced the upregulation of H+-ATPase genes in roots (PGSC0003DMG400004101, PGSC0003DMG400033034), acidifying the rhizosphere to increase active iron availability. Subsequently, this was followed by the upregulation of FRO genes (PGSC0003DMG400000184, PGSC0003DMG400010125, PGSC0003DMG401009494, PGSC0003DMG401018223), which reduce Fe3+ to Fe2+, and activation of IRT genes, facilitating Fe2+ transport to various tissues. Iron deficiency also reduced SPAD content in leaves, negatively impacting photosynthesis and overall plant growth. In response, the osmotic regulation and antioxidant defense systems were activated, enabling the plant to mitigate iron deficiency stress. Additionally, the absorption and accumulation of other metal ions were enhanced, likely as a compensatory mechanism for iron scarcity. At the transcriptional level, iron deficiency induced the expression of genes involved in metal absorption and transport, as well as those related to photosynthesis, carbon metabolism, and ribosomal function, thereby supporting iron homeostasis and maintaining metabolic balance under stress conditions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Solanaceae Plants Genetics)
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12 pages, 5146 KB  
Article
Overexpression of StTCP10 Alters Tuber Number and Size in Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.)
by Tingting Wang, Xinyue Chen, Shuangshuang Li, Ping Wang, Yongbin Wang and Binquan Huang
Plants 2025, 14(9), 1403; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14091403 - 7 May 2025
Viewed by 1764
Abstract
Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.), cultivated worldwide for its nutrient-rich underground tubers, represents a crucial staple crop whose yield is primarily determined by both tuber number and tuber size. TCP transcription factors, especially TCP containing miR319 binding sites, play pivotal roles in plant [...] Read more.
Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.), cultivated worldwide for its nutrient-rich underground tubers, represents a crucial staple crop whose yield is primarily determined by both tuber number and tuber size. TCP transcription factors, especially TCP containing miR319 binding sites, play pivotal roles in plant growth and development, yet their functions in potato tuber number and size remain largely unexplored. In this study, we systematically identified 32 TCP genes in potato harboring the conserved TCP domain, among which six were predicted to contain binding sites for Stu-miR319. Semi-quantitative experiments revealed that StTCP10 exhibited the highest expression levels in stolons, swollen stolons, and tuber tissues compared to other StTCP genes containing miR319 binding sites. To elucidate its biological function, we generated StTCP10-overexpressing transgenic potato lines through Agrobacterium-mediated genetic transformation. Phenotypic analysis demonstrated that overexpression of StTCP10 reduced tuber number per plant while enhancing tuber size, with no significant change in total yield. These findings reveal that StTCP10 with Stu-miR319 binding sites plays a critical role in tuber size and mediates the trade-off between tuber size and number, providing novel insights into the molecular breeding aimed at improving tuber size. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Solanaceae Plants Genetics)
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