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Plants publishes Special Issues to create collections of papers on specific topics, with the aim of building a community of authors and readers to discuss the latest research and develop new ideas and research directions. Special Issues are led by Guest Editors, who are experts on the topic and all Special Issue submissions follow MDPI's standard editorial process. The journal’s Editor-in-Chief and/or designated Editorial Board Member will oversee Guest Editor appointments and Special Issue proposals, checking their content for relevance and ensuring the suitability of the material for the journal. The papers published in a Special Issue will be collected and displayed on a dedicated page of the journal’s website. Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies and Guest Editor responsibilities can be found here. For any inquiries related to a Special Issue, please contact the Editorial Office.

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Metabolic Analysis of Plant Development and Defense Responses

edited by

Adnan Amin

submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 1069 | Submission Open

Keywords: plant metabolism; defense responses; metabolomics; stress tolerance; metabolic engineering

(This special issue belongs to the Section Plant Molecular Biology)

Plant Bioactive Compounds, Functional Components and Functions

edited by

Maurizio Bruno

and

Natale Badalamenti

submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 1029 | Submission Open

Keywords: natural products; phytochemistry; plant biology; molecular biology; physiology; plant– microbe interactions

(This special issue belongs to the Section Phytochemistry)

Interactions Between Plants and Beneficial Microorganisms

edited by

Juan Francisco Jimenez-Bremont

submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 989 | Submission Open

Keywords: plant– microbe interactions; beneficial microorganisms; abiotic and biotic stress tolerance; plant growth promotion; microbial applications in agriculture

(This special issue belongs to the Section Plant Protection and Biotic Interactions)

Molecular Mechanisms of Legume–Rhizobium Symbiosis

edited by

Attila Kereszt

and

Senlei Zhang

submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 825 | Submission Open

Keywords: legume– rhizobium interaction; nodule organogenesis; symbiotic nitrogen fixation; signalling pathways; nodule number control; symbiosis maintenance

(This special issue belongs to the Section Plant–Soil Interactions)

Next-Generation Plant Breeding: Integrating Genomics Tools and Marker-Assisted Selection

edited by

Muhammud Qasim Shahid

Xiangdong Liu

and

Faheem Shehzad Baloch

submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 727 | Submission Open

Keywords: marker-assisted selection; molecular markers; CRISPR-Cas9; cereals; genetic diversity; plant genomics; genomic selection; big data analysis; artificial intelligence; omics and biotechnological technologies; genetic improvement of crops; next-generation sequencing; genotyping by sequencing; GWAS; QTL mapping

(This special issue belongs to the Section Plant Genetics, Genomics and Biotechnology)

Plant Defense Mechanisms Against Pathogens: Signaling Pathways, Genetic Foundations, and Biotechnological Innovations

edited by

Ye Xia

and Shouan Zhang

submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 600 | Submission Open

Keywords: plant defense mechanisms; plant health; signaling pathways; genetic foundations; biotechnological innovations; food security; sustainable agriculture

(This special issue belongs to the Section Plant Protection and Biotic Interactions)

Integrated Plant Nutrition and Food Quality: Production, Postharvest, and Processing

edited by

Mónica L. Chávez-González

and

Pedro Aguilar-Zarate

submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 490 | Submission Open

Keywords: plant nutrition; food quality; biofortification; phytochemicals; rhizosphere microbiome; biostimulants; postharvest; controlled-environment agriculture; precision fertilization; bioaccessibility; non-thermal processing; sensory quality; nutrient density

(This special issue belongs to the Section Plant Nutrition)

Crop–Weed Competition: Ecological Interactions and Management Strategies

edited by

José L. Gonzalez-Andujar

and

Fernando Oreja

submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 465 | Submission Open

Keywords: crop– weed competition; ecological interactions; integrated weed management; allelopathy; cropping systems; climate change impacts; cover cropping; competitive traits; modeling

(This special issue belongs to the Section Plant Ecology)

Cryopreservation, In Vitro, and Seed Banking Technologies for Plant Biodiversity Conservation

edited by

Haenghoon Kim

and

Elena Popova

submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 410 | Submission Open

Keywords: gene banks; plant biodiversity conservation; in vitro culture; cryopreservation; seed storage

(This special issue belongs to the Section Plant Cell Biology)

Plant Interactions with Both Beneficial and Pathogenic Microorganisms

edited by

Juan Francisco Jimenez-Bremont

submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 392 | Submission Open

Keywords: plant– microbe interactions; biocontrol agents; biostimulants; plant pathogens; sustainable agriculture

(This special issue belongs to the Section Plant Protection and Biotic Interactions)

Integrative Taxonomy, Systematics, and Morphology of Land Plants

edited by

Edlley Pessoa

Matheus Colli-Silva

and Maria Teresa Buril

submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 349 | Submission Open

Keywords: anatomy; biogeography; cytogenetics; evolution; morphometrics; molecular phylogenetics; palynology; phylogenomics; systematics; species delimitation

(This special issue belongs to the Section Plant Systematics, Taxonomy, Nomenclature and Classification)

Cell Biology, Development, Adaptation and Evolution of Plants

edited by Hiroyasu Motose

submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 329 | Submission Open

Keywords: morphology and development; cell division and growth; signaling and gene expression; adaptation to the environment; genomics; technological evolution and new model systems; evolution

(This special issue belongs to the Section Plant Development and Morphogenesis)

Strategies of Forest Trees Against Drought Stress

edited by

Shengji Wang

Tangchun Zheng

and

Su Chen

submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | Viewed by 328 | Submission Open

Keywords: drought stress; forest ecosystem; tree drought resistance mechanisms; adaptive management technologies; Physiological and molecular regulatory networks; structural and functional adaptive evolution

Genetic and Metabolic Insights into Crop Improvement

edited by

Zhizhai Liu

and Qianling Xiao

submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | Viewed by 194 | Submission Open

Keywords: genetic improvement; metabolite/metabolomics; functional dissection; biosynthesis/accumulation; molecular design breeding; yield/quality; resistance/tolerance

(This special issue belongs to the Section Plant Genetics, Genomics and Biotechnology)

Molecular Mechanisms and Mitigation Strategies for Heavy Metal Stress Decoding in Crop Plants

edited by

Marshall Keyster

and

Arun Gokul

submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | Viewed by 180 | Submission Open

Keywords: antioxidant defense; crop plant tolerance; genetic engineering; heavy metal stress; ion homeostasis; molecular mechanisms; phytohormone signaling; phytoremediation; omics approaches; oxidative stress; stress priming; sustainable agriculture

(This special issue belongs to the Section Plant–Soil Interactions)

Physiological Function of Jasmonic Acid-Mediated Signaling Pathway in Plants

edited by Xiaoling Sun

submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | Viewed by 156 | Submission Open

Keywords: jasmonates; plant development; plant defense; molecular merchinary

(This special issue belongs to the Section Plant Physiology and Metabolism)

Physiology and Innovation in Fruit Crops: Biostimulants, Stress Responses, and Postharvest Technologies

edited by

Sílvia Martins Afonso

Ivo Vaz de Oliveira

and

Berta Gonçalves

submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | Viewed by 138 | Submission Open

Keywords: fruit crops; plant physiology; climate change; abiotic stress; biostimulants; stress tolerance mechanisms; postharvest technologies; edible coatings; bioactive compounds

(This special issue belongs to the Section Horticultural Science and Ornamental Plants)

Soil Microbial Mediation of Trace Element Uptake in Plants

edited by

Paramsothy Jeyakumar

submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | Viewed by 137 | Submission Open

Keywords: soil– plant systems; soil microorganisms; rhizosphere; trace elements; food security

(This special issue belongs to the Section Plant–Soil Interactions)

Evolution, Biology, Ecology and Uses of Azolla

edited by Jonathan Bujak,

Ana Luisa Pereira

and

Henk Brinkhuis

submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | Viewed by 137 | Submission Open

Keywords: Azolla; Nostoc azollae; nitrogen fixation; phytoremediation; cyanobacterial blooms; climate mitigation; sustainable agriculture

(This special issue belongs to the Section Plant Ecology)

Grape Viticulture and Its Responses to Stresses

edited by

Raúl Ferrer-Gallego

and Leonor Deis

submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | Viewed by 129 | Submission Open

Keywords: grape; viticultural practices; stress; climate change; vine management

(This special issue belongs to the Section Horticultural Science and Ornamental Plants)

Chemical and Pharmacological Potential of Medicinal Plants

edited by

Omar Enrique Estrada Semprun

Leonardo Luiz Borges

and Joelma Abadia Marciano de Paula

submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | Viewed by 116 | Submission Open

Keywords: phytochemistry; preclinical assays; clinical trials; quality control; herbal medicine

(This special issue belongs to the Section Phytochemistry)

New Perspectives on Plant Biogeography, Systematics, and Taxonomy

edited by

Rafael Felipe de Almeida

submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 111 | Submission Open

Keywords: biogeography; nomenclature; palynotaxonomy; taxonomy; systematics

(This special issue belongs to the Section Plant Systematics, Taxonomy, Nomenclature and Classification)

Chemical Diversity and Biotechnological Potential of Marine Cyanobacteria

edited by Vincent Bielinski,

Erin Garza

and Fernanda Oliveira das Chagas

submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | Viewed by 106 | Submission Open

Keywords: marine cyanobacteria; secondary metabolites; biosynthetic gene clusters; compound discovery; applied biotechnology

(This special issue belongs to the Section Phytochemistry)

Postharvest Physiology and Storage of Fruits and Vegetables

edited by

Malka Siva Kumar

submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | Viewed by 106 | Submission Open

Keywords: postharvest physiology; fruit ripening; storage technologies; ethylene production; controlled atmosphere storage; food preservation; nutritional quality retention; postharvest losses

(This special issue belongs to the Section Plant Physiology and Metabolism)

Plant Biology and Sustainable Weed Management

edited by

Leonardo Bianco de Carvalho

and

Luis Antonio de Avila

submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | Viewed by 103 | Submission Open

Keywords: weed biology and control; integrated weed management; herbicide resistant crops and weeds; biotechnology in weed research; technological tools for weed management; herbicide application technology

(This special issue belongs to the Section Plant Protection and Biotic Interactions)

Recent Advances in Plant Responses to Combined Stresses Under Climate Change

edited by

Georgia Ntatsi

Ioannis Karavidas

and Theodora Ntanasi

submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | Viewed by 103 | Submission Open

Keywords: multiple stresses; combined stresses; climate change; drought stress; heat stress; salinity stress; molecular breeding; cell and molecular biology; gene regulation; genetics; genomics; crop improvement; horticultural crops; grafting technology; nanoparticles (NPs); biostimulants; microbial inoculants

(This special issue belongs to the Section Plant Response to Abiotic Stress and Climate Change)

Integrated Pest Management of Field Crops

edited by

Bruno Henrique Sardinha de Souza

Geraldo Andrade Carvalho

and

Khalid Haddi

submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | Viewed by 102 | Submission Open

Keywords: IPM; host plant resistance; biological control; microbial control; behavioral control; genetic control; cultural control; pest monitoring; selectivity; insect resistance management

(This special issue belongs to the Section Plant Protection and Biotic Interactions)

Isolation, Diversity and Bioactivity of Plant Metabolites

edited by

Claudia Finamore

and

Carmen Festa

submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | Viewed by 100 | Submission Open

Keywords: secondary metabolites; HPLC; bioactive compounds; plant extracts; nature-inspired derivatives; NMR; isolation; structural diversity; bioactivity

(This special issue belongs to the Section Phytochemistry)

Breeding Strategies to Enhance Quality and Resilience in Horticultural Crops

edited by Adrían Rodríguez-Burruezo

submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | Viewed by 100 | Submission Open

Keywords: acids; antioxidants; crop resilience and adaptability; cultivated diversity; genome wide association study; genomic selection; quantitative trait loci; sugars; valorization of landraces; volatiles

(This special issue belongs to the Section Plant Molecular Biology)

Recent Advancements in Jasmonate Research

edited by Guillermo Jimenez-Aleman and

Gonzalo Soriano

submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | Viewed by 94 | Submission Open

Keywords: jasmonate signaling; plant defense; stress responses; biosynthesis; hormonal interactions; agricultural applications

(This special issue belongs to the Section Plant Physiology and Metabolism)

Advances in Genome Editing Technologies for Crop Improvement and Disease Resistance

edited by

Marcos Fernando Basso

and

Aurelia Scarano

submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | Viewed by 93 | Submission Open

Keywords: meganucleases; ZNFs; TALENs; CRISPR/Cas; CRISPRa; CRISPRi; prime editing; base editing; genome editing; crops; agronomic trait; plant disease

(This special issue belongs to the Section Plant Genetics, Genomics and Biotechnology)

Computational Approaches to Decoding Plant Molecular Networks

edited by

Rajeev K. Azad

submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | Viewed by 86 | Submission Open

Keywords: computational techniques; multi-omics data; plant molecular analysis; machine learning; AI; data integration

(This special issue belongs to the Section Plant Molecular Biology)

Plant-Derived Bioactives for the Prevention and Management of Metabolic Diseases

edited by

Flavio Francini

and Bárbara Maiztegui

submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | Viewed by 83 | Submission Open

Keywords: metabolic diseases; natural products; plant-derived therapeutic agents; plant-derived bioactives; medicinal plants; phytotherapeutic formulations; traditional health systems

(This special issue belongs to the Section Phytochemistry)

Receptor Kinase-Mediated Signaling in Plants

edited by Hongqing Guo

submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | Viewed by 75 | Submission Open

Keywords: receptor kinase signaling; ligands; co-receptors; signaling components; post-translational modifications; substrates; transcription factors; gene expression; genetics and genomics; plant growth; development; stress responses

(This special issue belongs to the Section Plant Molecular Biology)

Integrated Quality Management in Horticultural Crops: Decoding Hormonal, Transcriptional and Metabolic Interfaces

edited by

Dagang Hu

and

Pengliang Han

submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | Viewed by 73 | Submission Open

Keywords: phytohormones; transcription factors; metabolic pathways; multi-omics; CRISPR; postharvest physiology

(This special issue belongs to the Section Plant Genetics, Genomics and Biotechnology)

Orchid Germplasm Conservation and Propagation Strategies

edited by

Nelson Barbosa Machado-Neto

Rodrigo Bustos Singer

and Virginia Silva Carvalho

submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | Viewed by 67 | Submission Open

Keywords: germination; seed storage; seedling growth; cryoconservation; orchid; seed formation; tissue culture

(This special issue belongs to the Section Plant Genetic Resources)

Molecular Regulation of Maize Abiotic Stress Resilience

edited by

Yang Xiang

and Jingwei Yan

submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | Viewed by 63 | Submission Open

Keywords: maize; abiotic stress; stress resilience; molecular regulation; signal transduction; gene expression; regulatory networks

(This special issue belongs to the Section Plant Response to Abiotic Stress and Climate Change)

Plant Stress Responses: Molecular Genetics and Enzyme Regulation

edited by

Hongjian Wan

submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | Viewed by 63 | Submission Open

Keywords: plant stress responses; molecular genetics; enzyme regulation; abiotic and biotic stresses; transcription factors; signal transduction; hormonal crosstalk; reactive oxygen species (ROS); gene expression regulation; crop stress tolerance; epigenetic modifications

(This special issue belongs to the Section Plant Genetics, Genomics and Biotechnology)

Soil-Water Contamination and Ecological Restoration Using Plants

edited by

Junkang Wu

and Chong Cao

submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | Viewed by 61 | Submission Open

Keywords: soil/water contamination; nitrogen and phosphorus; heavy metal; microplastics (MPs); perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAs); antibiotics; aquatic and terrestrial plants; wetland

(This special issue belongs to the Section Plant Ecology)

Optimization of Legume Nitrogen Fixation and Use in the Organic Farming Ecosystem

edited by Raminta Skipitytė

submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | Viewed by 58 | Submission Open

Keywords: legumes; biological nitrogen fixation; nitrogen resources; organic farming; crop production; inoculation; sustainable agriculture

(This special issue belongs to the Section Plant Nutrition)

Phytoremediation: Advances in Plant-Based Strategies, from the Lab to the Field

edited by Mariana Rosa and Carolina Prado

submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | Viewed by 58 | Submission Open

Keywords: phytoremediation; plant– microbe interactions; constructed wetlands; physiological and biochemical mechanisms; emerging contaminants; sustainable biomass management; nature-based solutions; AI-assisted phytotechnology

(This special issue belongs to the Section Plant–Soil Interactions)

Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Kernel Development in Cereal Crops

edited by

Jiechen Wang

and Zhiyong Zhang

submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | Viewed by 55 | Submission Open

Keywords: cereal crops; kernel development; endosperm and embryo development; grain yield; regulatory networks; phytohormone signaling; epigenetic modifications; nutrient partitioning; climate resilience

(This special issue belongs to the Section Plant Molecular Biology)

Advances in Sustainable Weed Management in Crop Production

edited by

Judit Barroso

submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | Viewed by 55 | Submission Open

Keywords: precision agriculture; non-chemical weed control; robotics and AI; integrated weed management

(This special issue belongs to the Section Plant Protection and Biotic Interactions)

Nutritional and Therapeutic Metabolites from Ethnomedicine and Agri-Food Sources: Emerging Research and Applications

edited by Mamadou Aliou Balde

submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | Viewed by 54 | Submission Open

Keywords: plant-based metabolites; metabolomics; natural products; functional food development; ethnomedicine; therapeutic metabolites; agri-food by-products; green extraction technologies

(This special issue belongs to the Section Phytochemistry)

Botanical Standardization and Metabolic Profiling

edited by

Eng Shi Ong

and

Chen Huei Leo

submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | Viewed by 48 | Submission Open

Keywords: medicinal plant; functional food; chemical standardization; extraction; biological assay; antioxidant properties; metabolic profile

(This special issue belongs to the Section Phytochemistry)

Advanced Cultivation Techniques and Breeding Strategies for Oilseed Crops

edited by

Shuijin Hua

and

Yang Zhu

submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | Viewed by 44 | Submission Open

Keywords: breeding; climate change; cultivation; oilseed crops; quality; stress; yield; disease resistance

(This special issue belongs to the Section Plant Genetics, Genomics and Biotechnology)

Chemical Characterization and Functional Identification of Plant Extracts

edited by

Manasés González-Cortazar

and

Enrique Jiménez-Ferrer

submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | Viewed by 42 | Submission Open

Keywords: phytochemicals; biological activities; natural product isolation; extraction of natural products; compound isolation; bioactive secondary metabolites; chromatography; structure elucidation and phytochemical purification

(This special issue belongs to the Section Phytochemistry)

Genetics and Management for Enhanced Fruit Crop Production

edited by Yong Xiao and Wei Xia

submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | Viewed by 33 | Submission Open

Keywords: fruit crop genetics; disease resistance; CRISP/CAS9; sustainable horticulture; postharvest management; genomic selection

(This special issue belongs to the Section Plant Genetics, Genomics and Biotechnology)

Management of Soil Fertility and Plant Nutrition for Improved Crop Production

edited by Xingzhu Ma,

Lili Zhang

and

Nan Sun

submission deadline 1 May 2026 | 4 articles | Viewed by 4315 | Submission Open

Keywords: green and efficient agricultural production technology; soil amendments and organic matter management; precision agriculture promoting nutritional optimization; changes in soil fertility and biological activity in farmland; sustainable crop rotation management

(This special issue belongs to the Section Crop Physiology and Crop Production)

The Expanding World of Palm Tree Breeding: New Discoveries and Applications in the Post-Genomic Era

edited by