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Forest Tree Stress Biology: From Fundamental Research to Emerging Opportunities

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A special issue of Forests (ISSN 1999-4907). This special issue belongs to the section "Forest Ecology and Management".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2020) | Viewed by 12738

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Gloria Pinto

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Guest Editor

CESAM (Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies) and Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal
Interests: plant physiology with focus on forest species; plant responses to global changes (abiotic and biotic); integrative approaches; tree stress physiology

Dr. JOANA AMARAL

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Guest Editor

CESAM (Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies) and Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal
Interests: forest trees stress physiology; integration of physiological/biochemical and Omics data; mitigation strategies to improve plant response to stress

Dr. Jorge Martin Garcia

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Guest Editor

University of Valladolid and Sustainable Forest Management Research Institute, Spain.
Interests: plant pathology, with emphasis on alien invasive species; integration of omics data; biological control; practical solutions

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development established at the General Assembly of the United Nations and the Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda of the European Forest-Based Sector for 2030 encompasses well-defined Global Forest Goals and Targets that highlight the need for sustainable forest management and improved forest resilience and adaptation. Stress is widely experienced by forest trees worldwide at several stages of their development. Forest Tree Physiology research is currently facing new challenges regarding the changing climate and emerging biotic threats. Investigations focused on understanding how important abiotic (e.g., fire, drought, wind, temperatures) and biotic (insects and pathogens) disturbance agents influence the main physiological mechanisms of forest tree species are required. These physiological studies will add new insights into tree survival and function and contribute to promote solutions to emergent societal needs and forest sustainability. Today, Plant Physiology is considered an integrative discipline that explores plant functioning at different levels of complexity, embracing the full range of technologies from cell to molecular biology. By linking the “classical” aspects of physiology to recent advances in forest molecular biology, new and exciting ideas about the mechanisms and key players behind tree stress response have been unveiled. The objective of this Special Issue in Forests is to summarize state-of-art knowledge on Forest Tree Stress Physiology by exploring all players involved in the stress response chain: from the drivers to the mechanisms involved in plant–environment interactions. Moreover, we would like to report if basic plant research discoveries are being translated into technologies or approaches that may improve forestry adaptation and surveillance—a vital issue in meeting the foreseen climate-related challenges. Review articles and original research papers in forest trees related with all forms of biotic and abiotic stress, including plant physiology approaches (from classical physiology to molecular techniques), are welcome.

Dr. Gloria Pinto
Dr. Joana Joana
Dr. Jorge Martin Garcia
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Forests is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

adaptation
physiology
functional studies
plant–pathogen interactions
plant protection
selection
emergent biotic agents
environmental stress drivers
practical solutions
plant stress memory

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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15 pages, 3826 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Allelopathic Effects of Three Herb Species on Phytophthora cinnamomi, a Pathogen Causing Severe Oak Decline in Mediterranean Wood Pastures

by Manuela Rodríguez-Romero, Belén Godoy-Cancho, Isabel M. Calha, José António Passarinho and Ana Cristina Moreira

Forests 2021, 12(3), 285; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/f12030285 - 02 Mar 2021

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2577

Abstract

The ability of three herbaceous plants (Diplotaxis tenuifolia (L.) DC., Eruca vesicaria L. and Raphanus raphanistrum L.) from Iberian wood pastures to reduce Phytophthora cinnamomi Rands pathogen populations through allelopathic relationships is studied. The inhibitory capacity of their aqueous root extracts (AREs) on mycelial growth and production of P. cinnamomi reproductive structures is analysed in vitro. In addition, Quercus seedlings were grown in infested by P. cinnamomi-soils and with the presence or absence of allelopathic and susceptible herb species to the pathogen to assess the defensive chemical response of Quercus seedlings through their leaf phenolic compounds. Results show a strong inhibitory capacity of AREs on P. cinnamomi activity in vitro and a protective effect of these herb species on Quercus plants against P. cinnamomi in vivo. D. tenuifolia would be especially suited for biological control in the pathogen suppression. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Forest Tree Stress Biology: From Fundamental Research to Emerging Opportunities)

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13 pages, 1059 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Transgenerational Induction of Resistance to Phytophthora cinnamomi in Holm Oak

by María Vivas, Jerónimo Hernández, Tamara Corcobado, Elena Cubera and Alejandro Solla

Forests 2021, 12(1), 100; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/f12010100 - 18 Jan 2021

Cited by 17 | Viewed by 2449

Abstract

The maternal environment of a tree species can influence the development and resistance of its offspring. Transgenerational induction of resistance is well known in plants but its occurrence in forest tree species has been less reported. Quercus ilex L. (holm oak) is a widespread Mediterranean tree species threatened by the invasive Phytophthora cinnamomi Rands pathogen. The influence of P. cinnamomi on the offspring of infected Q. ilex mother trees has not been studied. This study compared the performance and tolerance to P. cinnamomi of seedlings from non-infected and P. cinnamomi-infected trees. Acorns from Q. ilex trees were collected from five forests. After isolations were conducted in the rhizosphere of several trees, in each forest, three trees were selected as non-infected and three were selected as P. cinnamomi-infected. Forty acorns per tree were weighed and sown under greenhouse conditions, and when plants were aged ~9 months they were challenged with P. cinnamomi. Plant mortality was higher in the offspring of non-infected trees than in the offspring of P. cinnamomi-infected trees (26.2% vs. 21.1%, respectively). Consistently, survival probabilities of seedlings from P. cinnamomi-infected trees were higher than those of seedlings from non-infected trees, particularly in seedlings with reduced growth. Although acorns from healthy Q. ilex trees were heavier than acorns from P. cinnamomi-infected trees, the time to death of inoculated seedlings was not influenced by seed weight. The time to death of seedlings was positively related to belowground mass, particularly to an increased proportion of fine secondary roots. We report transgenerational-induced resistance to P. cinnamomi in Q. ilex triggered by an unknown mechanism independent of acorn mass. Information about the persistence of transgenerational effects in Q. ilex offspring and the influence of these effects on plant fitness is crucial to improve the management and regeneration of this declining species. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Forest Tree Stress Biology: From Fundamental Research to Emerging Opportunities)

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11 pages, 4239 KiB

Open AccessCommunication

Changes in Proline Levels during Seed Development of Orthodox and Recalcitrant Seeds of Genus Acer in a Climate Change Scenario

by Joanna Kijowska-Oberc, Aleksandra M. Staszak, Mikołaj K. Wawrzyniak and Ewelina Ratajczak

Forests 2020, 11(12), 1362; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/f11121362 - 18 Dec 2020

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 3001

Abstract

In the present study, we examined the utility of proline usage as a biochemical indicator of metabolic changes caused by climate change (mean temperature and precipitation) during seed development of two Acer species differing in desiccation tolerance: Norway maple (Acer platanoides L.—desiccation tolerant—orthodox) and sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus L.—desiccation sensitive—recalcitrant). In plants, proline is an element of the antioxidant system, which has a role in response to water loss and high temperatures. Our study considered whether proline could be treated as an indicator of tree seed viability, crucial for genetic resources conservation. Proline content was measured biweekly in developing seeds (between 11 and 23 weeks after flowering) collected in consecutive years (2017, 2018, and 2019). We showed that proline concentrations in recalcitrant seeds were positively correlated with mean two-week temperature. In contrast, in orthodox seeds no such relationship was found. Proline content proved to be sensitive to thermal-moisture conditions changes, which makes it a promising biochemical marker of seed desiccation tolerance in different climatic conditions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Forest Tree Stress Biology: From Fundamental Research to Emerging Opportunities)

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Review

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26 pages, 1365 KiB

Open AccessReview

Molecular Research on Stress Responses in Quercus spp.: From Classical Biochemistry to Systems Biology through Omics Analysis

by Mónica Escandón, María Ángeles Castillejo, Jesús V. Jorrín-Novo and María-Dolores Rey

Forests 2021, 12(3), 364; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/f12030364 - 19 Mar 2021

Cited by 20 | Viewed by 3716

Abstract

The genus Quercus (oak), family Fagaceae, comprises around 500 species, being one of the most important and dominant woody angiosperms in the Northern Hemisphere. Nowadays, it is threatened by environmental cues, which are either of biotic or abiotic origin. This causes tree decline, dieback, and deforestation, which can worsen in a climate change scenario. In the 21st century, biotechnology should take a pivotal role in facing this problem and proposing sustainable management and conservation strategies for forests. As a non-domesticated, long-lived species, the only plausible approach for tree breeding is exploiting the natural diversity present in this species and the selection of elite, more resilient genotypes, based on molecular markers. In this direction, it is important to investigate the molecular mechanisms of the tolerance or resistance to stresses, and the identification of genes, gene products, and metabolites related to this phenotype. This research is being performed by using classical biochemistry or the most recent omics (genomics, epigenomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics) approaches, which should be integrated with other physiological and morphological techniques in the Systems Biology direction. This review is focused on the current state-of-the-art of such approaches for describing and integrating the latest knowledge on biotic and abiotic stress responses in Quercus spp., with special reference to Quercus ilex, the system on which the authors have been working for the last 15 years. While biotic stress factors mainly include fungi and insects such as Phytophthora cinnamomi, Cerambyx welensii, and Operophtera brumata, abiotic stress factors include salinity, drought, waterlogging, soil pollutants, cold, heat, carbon dioxide, ozone, and ultraviolet radiation. The review is structured following the Central Dogma of Molecular Biology and the omic cascade, from DNA (genomics, epigenomics, and DNA-based markers) to metabolites (metabolomics), through mRNA (transcriptomics) and proteins (proteomics). An integrated view of the different approaches, challenges, and future directions is critically discussed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Forest Tree Stress Biology: From Fundamental Research to Emerging Opportunities)

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