Regulators of Plant Growth and Environmental Stress Adaptation

Submission Deadline: 30 June 2026 View: 637 Submit to Special Issue

Guest Editors

Prof. Dr. Barbara Sawicka

Email: barbara.sawicka@gmail.com

Affiliation: Department of Plant Production Technology and Commodities Sciences, Faculty of Agrobioengineering, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, 20-950 Lublin, Poland

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Research Interests: agricultural plant science, agronomy, bioengineering, commodity sciences, ecological engineering, food sciences

Dr. Piotr Pszczółkowski

Email: p.pszczolkowski.inspektor@coboru.gov.pl

Affiliation: Research Centre for Cultivar Testing, Słupia Wielka 34, 63-022 Słupia Wielka, Poland

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Research Interests: agricultural plant science, agronomy, ecological engineering, phenotypic variability, food sciences

Dr. Dominika Skiba

Email: dominika.skiba@up.lublin.pl

Affiliation: Department of Plant Production Technology and Commodities Sciences, Faculty of Agrobioengineering, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, 20-950 Lublin, Poland

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Research Interests: agriculture, agronomy, soil science agricultural plant science, plant phenotypic variability, commodity science

Dr. Piotr Barbaś

Email: p.barbas@ihar.edu.pl

Affiliation: Department of Potato Agronomy, Plant Breeding and Acclimatization Institute - National Research Institute, Branch Jadwisin, Szaniawskiego 15, Poland

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Research Interests: agriculture, agronomy, ecological engineering, phenotypic variability, food sciences

Summary

This special issue aims to explore the crucial role plant growth regulators play in modulating plant development and their ability to survive in the face of diverse environmental stresses. In an era of climate change and increasing pressure on global food security, understanding the mechanisms by which plants adapt to abiotic stresses (such as drought, salinity, and extreme temperatures) and biotic stresses (pathogen and pest attacks) is crucial for sustainable agriculture. Research into the hormonal and signaling pathways that coordinate these responses not only provides fundamental knowledge about plant physiology but also paves the way for the development of innovative strategies for breeding resilient plants. The purpose of this special issue is to compile the latest research and reviews on the effects of plant growth regulators on stress tolerance. The publication aims to create a comprehensive resource that integrates molecular, genetic, physiological, and agronomic perspectives. Topics range from the fundamental mechanisms of action of key phytohormones (e.g., auxins, gibberellins, cytokinins, abscisic acid, and ethylene) to practical applications, including innovative strategies for manipulating regulatory pathways to increase yields under challenging conditions. We encourage submissions of scientific and review articles focusing on the following topics:
· The role of auxins, gibberellins, and cytokinins in modulating plant growth and development under stress conditions;
· Molecular mechanisms and signaling networks of abscisic acid and ethylene in response to drought and pathogen attack;
· The influence of growth regulators on plant tolerance to salinity and temperature extremes (heat and cold);
· Interactions between plant hormones and biotic stress, including defense mechanisms against diseases and pests;
· Genetic modification and genome editing (CRISPR/Cas9) to improve stress resistance by manipulating hormonal pathways;
· The use of extrinsic plant growth regulators in agricultural practice to increase yield and quality under stressful conditions;
· New approaches to phytohormone research, including advanced imaging and omics techniques (genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics);
· Plant adaptive mechanisms in the face of stress, with particular emphasis on the role of growth regulators in coordinating physiological processes.

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