Special Issues

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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Advances in Pollen Management and Assisted Pollination Techniques in Crop Plants submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | 4 articles | Viewed by 3143 | Submission Open
Keywords: pollination habits; pollinators decline; wild pollinators; bee pollination; plant– insect interaction; artificial pollination; pollen harvesting; medium- and long-term pollen storage; innovative pollen application methods
(This special issue belongs to the Section Crop Physiology and Crop Production)
Phytochemical Insights into Primary and Secondary Metabolites of Aromatic, Medicinal, and Food Plants: Regulation, Stress Response, and Bioactive Potential submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | 2 articles | Viewed by 2765 | Submission Open
Keywords: volatile organic compounds; essential oils; primary and secondary metabolites; functional food; nutraceuticals; bioactive properties; phytochemistry; metabolomics; plant stress response; aromatic plants; medicinal plants; food plants
(This special issue belongs to the Section Phytochemistry)
Application of Hyperspectral Remote Sensing Technology in Plant Research
edited by
submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | 2 articles | Viewed by 2314 | Submission Open
Keywords: hyperspectral remote sensing; identification and classification; monitoring and mapping; quantitative inversion; plant functional traits
(This special issue belongs to the Section Plant Modeling)
Research on Genetic Breeding and Biotechnology of Forest Trees
edited by Yun Li and
submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | 2 articles | Viewed by 1477 | Submission Open
Keywords: forest trees; genetic breeding; molecular marker technology; cell engineering technology; gene engineering technology
(This special issue belongs to the Section Plant Genetics, Genomics and Biotechnology)
Nutrient Efficiency in Crop Production: Physiological Strategies to Enhance Yields
edited by and
submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | 2 articles | Viewed by 1246 | Submission Open
Keywords: crop yield; root– soil interactions; plant hormones; sustainable agriculture
(This special issue belongs to the Section Crop Physiology and Crop Production)
Bioactives from Plants: From Extraction to Functional Food Innovation submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 927 | Submission Open
Keywords: novel extraction methods; identification of bioactive compounds; quantification of bioactive compounds; bioactive compounds in food systems; bioactive compounds in food design
(This special issue belongs to the Section Phytochemistry)
Advances in Legume Crops Research—2nd Edition submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 917 | Submission Open
Keywords: genomics in legumes; genetics; molecular breeding and marker-assisted selection/breeding; biotic and abiotic stresses; genetic resources; wild relatives; genomic selection; modern breeding methods; G  × E interaction; rapid advancement generation; genetic gains
(This special issue belongs to the Section Plant Genetics, Genomics and Biotechnology)
Metabolic Analysis of Plant Development and Defense Responses
edited by
submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 868 | Submission Open
Keywords: plant metabolism; defense responses; metabolomics; stress tolerance; metabolic engineering
(This special issue belongs to the Section Plant Molecular Biology)
Interactions Between Plants and Beneficial Microorganisms submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 804 | 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)
Plant Chemical Ecology—2nd Edition
edited by , , Peng Wang and Guoxin Zhou
submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 780 | Submission Open
Keywords: allelopathy; allelochemicals; chemical communication; chemical defenses; common mycorrhizal networks; kin recognition; herbivores; pathogens; pest management; signaling interactions; soil microorganisms; rhizosphere; root exudates; volatiles
(This special issue belongs to the Section Plant Protection and Biotic Interactions)
Nutrient Requirements and Fertilizer Management Strategies in Plant Cultivation, Second Edition
edited by Lin Tang
submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 640 | Submission Open
Keywords: fertilization; plant nutrition; nutrient sources; absorption efficiency; nutrient losses
(This special issue belongs to the Section Horticultural Science and Ornamental Plants)
Next-Generation Plant Breeding: Integrating Genomics Tools and Marker-Assisted Selection submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | Viewed by 180 | 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)
Genetic and Metabolic Insights into Crop Improvement
edited by and Qianling Xiao
submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | Viewed by 175 | 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)
Physiological Function of Jasmonic Acid-Mediated Signaling Pathway in Plants
edited by Xiaoling Sun
submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | Viewed by 123 | Submission Open
Keywords: jasmonates; plant development; plant defense; molecular merchinary
(This special issue belongs to the Section Plant Physiology and Metabolism)
Crop–Weed Competition: Ecological Interactions and Management Strategies submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | Viewed by 115 | 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)
Soil Microbial Mediation of Trace Element Uptake in Plants submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | Viewed by 114 | Submission Open
Keywords: soil– plant systems; soil microorganisms; rhizosphere; trace elements; food security
(This special issue belongs to the Section Plant–Soil Interactions)
Grape Viticulture and Its Responses to Stresses
edited by and Leonor Deis
submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | Viewed by 105 | Submission Open
Keywords: grape; viticultural practices; stress; climate change; vine management
(This special issue belongs to the Section Horticultural Science and Ornamental Plants)
Evolution, Biology, Ecology and Uses of Azolla
edited by Jonathan Bujak, and
submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | Viewed by 102 | Submission Open
Keywords: Azolla; Nostoc azollae; nitrogen fixation; phytoremediation; cyanobacterial blooms; climate mitigation; sustainable agriculture
(This special issue belongs to the Section Plant Ecology)
Plant Defense Mechanisms Against Pathogens: Signaling Pathways, Genetic Foundations, and Biotechnological Innovations
edited by and Shouan Zhang
submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | Viewed by 98 | 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 submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | Viewed by 97 | 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)
Physiology and Innovation in Fruit Crops: Biostimulants, Stress Responses, and Postharvest Technologies submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | Viewed by 82 | 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)
Isolation, Diversity and Bioactivity of Plant Metabolites submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | Viewed by 81 | 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)
Advances in Genome Editing Technologies for Crop Improvement and Disease Resistance submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | Viewed by 77 | 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)
Chemical Diversity and Biotechnological Potential of Marine Cyanobacteria
edited by Vincent Bielinski, and Fernanda Oliveira das Chagas
submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | Viewed by 77 | Submission Open
Keywords: marine cyanobacteria; secondary metabolites; biosynthetic gene clusters; compound discovery; applied biotechnology
(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 70 | 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)
Computational Approaches to Decoding Plant Molecular Networks
edited by
submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | Viewed by 68 | 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)
Chemical and Pharmacological Potential of Medicinal Plants
edited by , and Joelma Abadia Marciano de Paula
submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | Viewed by 68 | Submission Open
Keywords: phytochemistry; preclinical assays; clinical trials; quality control; herbal medicine
(This special issue belongs to the Section Phytochemistry)
Plant-Derived Bioactives for the Prevention and Management of Metabolic Diseases
edited by and Bárbara Maiztegui
submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | Viewed by 66 | 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)
Cryopreservation, In Vitro, and Seed Banking Technologies for Plant Biodiversity Conservation
edited by and
submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | Viewed by 65 | Submission Open
Keywords: gene banks; plant biodiversity conservation; in vitro culture; cryopreservation; seed storage
(This special issue belongs to the Section Plant Cell Biology)
Recent Advances in Plant Responses to Combined Stresses Under Climate Change
edited by , and Theodora Ntanasi
submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | Viewed by 64 | 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)
Postharvest Physiology and Storage of Fruits and Vegetables
edited by
submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | Viewed by 63 | 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)
Receptor Kinase-Mediated Signaling in Plants
edited by Hongqing Guo
submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | Viewed by 62 | 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 Pest Management of Field Crops submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | Viewed by 60 | 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)
Plant Interactions with Both Beneficial and Pathogenic Microorganisms submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | Viewed by 59 | 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)
Recent Advancements in Jasmonate Research
edited by Guillermo Jimenez-Aleman and
submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | Viewed by 56 | 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)
New Perspectives on Plant Biogeography, Systematics, and Taxonomy submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | Viewed by 41 | Submission Open
Keywords: biogeography; nomenclature; palynotaxonomy; taxonomy; systematics
(This special issue belongs to the Section Plant Systematics, Taxonomy, Nomenclature and Classification)
Integrated Quality Management in Horticultural Crops: Decoding Hormonal, Transcriptional and Metabolic Interfaces
edited by and
submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | Viewed by 39 | 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)
Molecular Regulation of Maize Abiotic Stress Resilience
edited by and Jingwei Yan
submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | Viewed by 37 | 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)
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 37 | 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)
Orchid Germplasm Conservation and Propagation Strategies
edited by , and Virginia Silva Carvalho
submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | Viewed by 37 | Submission Open
Keywords: germination; seed storage; seedling growth; cryoconservation; orchid; seed formation; tissue culture
(This special issue belongs to the Section Plant Genetic Resources)
Plant Stress Responses: Molecular Genetics and Enzyme Regulation
edited by
submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | Viewed by 36 | 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 and Chong Cao
submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | Viewed by 33 | 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)
Advances in Sustainable Weed Management in Crop Production
edited by
submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | Viewed by 29 | 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)
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 29 | 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)
Chemical Characterization and Functional Identification of Plant Extracts submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | Viewed by 18 | 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 12 | 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)
Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Kernel Development in Cereal Crops
edited by and Zhiyong Zhang
submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | Viewed by 12 | 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)
Cell Biology, Development, Adaptation and Evolution of Plants
edited by Hiroyasu Motose
submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | Viewed by 10 | 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)
Botanical Standardization and Metabolic Profiling
edited by and
submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | Viewed by 7 | Submission Open
Keywords: medicinal plant; functional food; chemical standardization; extraction; biological assay; antioxidant properties; metabolic profile
(This special issue belongs to the Section Phytochemistry)
Molecular Mechanisms and Mitigation Strategies for Heavy Metal Stress Decoding in Crop Plants submission deadline 30 Apr 2026 | Viewed by 5 | 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)
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