New Approaches to Impart Tolerance to Abiotic Stress in Plants

Submission Deadline: 28 February 2026 View: 457 Submit to Special Issue

Guest Editors

Prof. Dr. Ertan Yildirim

Email: ertanyil@atauni.edu.tr

Affiliation: Atatrk University, Department of Horticulture, Agriculture Faculty, 25240  Erzurum, TURKEY

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Research Interests: vegetable growing, vegetable breeding, greenhouse management, seed germination and physiology, organic agriculture, stress physiology

Prof. Dr. Murat Aydin

Email: maydin@atauni.edu.tr

Affiliation: Atatrk University, Department of Horticulture, Agriculture Faculty, 25240  Erzurum, TURKEY

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Research Interests: plant biotechnology, genetic engineering, plant molecular breeding, plant stress physiology and molecular adaptation, and plant tissue culture

Dr. Esma Yigider

Email: esma.yigider@atauni.edu.tr

Affiliation: Atatrk University, Department of Horticulture, Agriculture Faculty, 25240  Erzurum, TURKEY

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Research Interests: plant biotechnology, genome editing, plant stress physiology and molecular adaptation and plant tissue culture

Summary

As a result of anthropogenic activities and climate change, plants are increasingly faced with multiple abiotic and biotic stresses. Plants are exposed to a multitude of abiotic and biotic stresses in their environment that vary in intensity, duration, and severity. As sessile organisms, they cannot escape these stresses, but instead have developed strategies to overcome them or compensate for the consequences of stress exposure. Various strategies are used to maximize plant growth and productivity under environmental stresses such as abiotic stresses.

Abiotic stresses exert direct physiological effects on plants, disrupting various cellular processes and metabolic pathways. Researchers' strategy is to breed resistant genotypes, the most reliable method for detecting and eliminating plant yield losses under abiotic stress conditions.

The primary aim of new approaches to impart tolerance to abiotic stresses in plants is to enhance the ability of plants, particularly crops, to survive, grow, and reproduce effectively under adverse environmental conditions. These stresses include drought, salinity, extreme temperatures (heat and cold), flooding, nutrient deficiency or toxicity, heavy metals, and UV radiation.

New approaches to enhancing abiotic stress tolerance in plants are characterized by increased precision, efficiency, and sustainability. For this research topic, we welcome reviews, perspectives, original research, opinions, and methods highlighting recent exciting developments in understanding the molecular, physiological, and biochemical responses of different plant treatments under abiotic stress conditions. Potential subjects for this topic include, but are not limited to:
· Genetic Engineering Strategies for Abiotic Stress Tolerance;
· CRISPR-Cas Systems in Enhancing Plant Resilience to Environmental Stresses;
· Marker-assisted selection and Breeding for Stress-Tolerant Crops;
· RNA Interference (RNAi) and miRNA-based Regulation;
· Epigenome Editing for Stress Memory in Plants;
· The Role of Omics Technologies (Genomics, Transcriptomics, Proteomics, Metabolomics) in Understanding and Improving Stress Tolerance;
· Harnessing the Power of Plant Growth-Promoting Microbes (PGPMs) for Abiotic Stress Management;
· Biostimulants and Nanotechnology Applications for Enhancing Plant Stress Tolerance;
· Priming Strategies: A Novel Approach to Induce Systemic Acquired Tolerance;
· The Use of Plant Hormones and Signaling Molecules in Stress Acclimation;
· Metabolic Engineering for Enhanced Abiotic Stress Resistance;
· Advancements in Tissue Culture and Somatic Embryogenesis for Stress Tolerance Selection.

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