Reccomended
Plant Biology · DBG

Review on allelopathy and allelobiosis: efficient and economical alternatives in agroecosystems

The paper summarizes allelopathy and allelobiosis in inter-specific, intra-specific, plant-microorganism, and plant-insect context, and discusses the involved substances, their mechanisms, as well as environmental factors influencing allelopathic/signal molecule production and spread.

In their review authors Han et al. summarize and classify allelochemicals and chemical signals according to their function and structure in relation to environmental factors and generation and diffusion of such signals, since allelopathy and allelobiosis have never been systematically described thus far. Furthermore, the reiview summarizes recent research on allelopathy and allelobiosis in agroecosystems to aid in their application in future studies. Finally, the authors offer perspectives for allelopathy and allelobiosis research.

Read whole paper in our scientific journal Plant Biology (2023) DOI: 10.1111/plb.13582 

(DBG's members are able to access all Plant Biology papers via our intranet).

Plant Biology · DBG

Review: Oxygen transport in plants under hypoxia/anoxia - diffusion and convection

In waterlogged environments, plant root aeration mainly relies on diffusion through aerenchyma, although some emergent and floating-leaved plants utilize pressurized flows to facilitate gas movement within their stems and rhizomes

In the article "An overview of oxygen transport in plants: diffusion and convection" author G. G. Striker summarizes how plants under hypoxia/anoxia ensure a steady oxygen supply to their cells and identifies three types of pressurized (convective) flows: humidity-induced pressurization (positive pressure), thermal osmosis (positive pressure with air flow against the heat gradient), and venturi-induced suction (negative pressure) caused by wind passing over broken culms.

Read whole paper in our scientific journal Plant Biology (2023) DOI: 10.1111/plb.13558.

(DBG's members are able to access all Plant Biology papers via our intranet).

Plant Biology · DBG

Review: Divergence of non-flying mammal-pollinated plants

The pollination system and evolutionary transition of Mucuna in Asia are unique, reflecting the divergence of the non-flying mammal-pollinated plants

In the article "Evolution of a non-flying mammal-dependent pollination system in Asian Mucuna (Fabaceae)" author S. Kobayashi summarizes the available knowledge of pollination in Asian Mucuna (Fabaceae), a genus mainly distributed in the tropics, and discusses the evolution of plants pollinated by non-flying mammals in Asia. Nineteen pollinator species have been recorded and pollination systems have been categorized into four types. An examination of the relationship between Mucuna species and their pollinators from the lineage perspective revealed that all species in Mucuna, subgenus Macrocarpa, which are distributed in Asia, are pollinated exclusively by non-flying mammals, f.e. from squirrel species.

Read whole paper in our scientific journal Plant Biology (2023) DOI: 10.1111/plb.13557.

(DBG's members are able to access all Plant Biology papers via our intranet).

Plant Biology · DBG

Review: Genetics underlying wheat grain protein content and grain protein deviation

Independent studies converge on genomic regions significantly associated with wheat grain protein content and grain protein deviation

In their review "Recent advances in the genetics underlying wheat grain protein content (GPC) and grain protein deviation (GPD) in hexaploid wheat", the authors Paina and Gregersen summarize the scientific findings about the genetics underlying wheat GPC and GPD, representing the relationship between grain protein content and yield), together with the performance of genomic prediction models characterizing these traits. A total of 364 significant loci related to GPC and GPD are positioned on the hexaploid wheat genome, one of the most important global crops which therefore is of major interest in breeding programs.

Read whole paper in our scientific journal Plant Biology (2023) DOI: 10.1111/plb.13550 (Open Access)

(DBG's members are able to access all Plant Biology papers via our intranet).

Plant Biology · DBG

Review: How gibberellin molecular metabolism orchestrates plant development

Gibberellin pathways have emerged as multi-signals integrators for plant development through complex feedback regulations and cross-talks

In their article "Molecular gibberellin (GA) pathways as conserved integrators for adaptive responses" Bouré and Arnaud summarize the elements of GA metabolism and signalling pathways, with emphasis on the key role of the GA/GID1/DELLA complex as a conserved developmental integrator. They also discuss how the GA signalling pathway - together with feedback regulation on GA metabolism -  contributes to the integration of endogenous and exogenous signals to provide an adaptive output.

Read whole paper in our scientific journal Plant Biology (2023). DOI: 10.1111/plb.13549.

(DBG's members are able to access all Plant Biology papers via our intranet).

Plant Biology · DBG

Review: Vulnerability, resilience, and adaptive capacity of Mediterranean forests under climate change

Factors that affect vulnerability and mechanisms that influence resilience of forests.

The autors Touhami et al. review the current state of knowledge on the effects of climate change on sclerophyllous and semi-deciduous forest ecosystems in Tunisia. They found alarming results concerning the tree cover lost to fires, as well as shifted phenological parameters like start and end of the green season. And they call upon scientists, policymakers, and managers to adapt Mediterranean forests to climate change.

Read whole paper in our scientific journal Plant Biology (2023). DOI: 10.1111/plb.13524

(DBG's members are able to access all Plant Biology papers via our intranet).

Plant Biology · DBG

Review: How proline functions under high temperatures and how genetic engineering may help to develop temperature-smart crops

Proline aids in various activities associated with plant growth and development under extreme temperatures, and genetic engineering of proline biosynthesis genes may aid in the design of temperature-smart future crops.

In their review "assessment of proline function in higher plants under extreme temperatures" authors Raza, Charagh, Abbas et al conclude that exogenous application of proline and genetic engineering of proline genes promise ways to develop temperature-smart future crop plants to combat impending climate change crisis.

Read whole paper in our scientific journal Plant Biology (2023). DOI: 10.1111/plb.13510

(DBG's members are able to access all Plant Biology papers via our intranet).

Plant Biology · DBG

Review: How metabolism of plant lipids and plant responses to abiotic stressors interact

The review summarizes the interactions between plant lipids and abiotic stressors.

In their review "Functions and interaction of plant lipid signalling under abiotic stresses" the authors Liang, Huang, Liu, Chen and Li describe the metabolism of plant lipids and discuss their involvement in plant responses to abiotic stress. Thereby they also provide necessary background for further research on the interactions between plant lipids and abiotic stress. Several summary diagrams as well as a comprehensive model of interactions between plant lipids and abiotic stresses is summarized in a graph.

Read whole paper in our scientific journal Plant Biology 2023, DOI: 10.1111/plb.13507

(DBG's members are able to access all Plant Biology papers via our intranet).

Plant Biology · DBG

Review: Rice anther tapetum - a vital reproductive cell layer for sporopollenin biosynthesis and pollen exine patterning

Summary of the regulation of tapetum and pollen formation, focused on the role of AT-Hook DNA binding proteins in tapetal and exine patterning

Findings on rice tapetum development, including genomic, transcriptomic and proteomic studies are reviewed by the authors Tariq, Yaseen, Xu, Rehman, Bibi and Uzair. They also describe tapetal programmed cell death (PCD), sporopollenin biosynthesis, ROS activity for tapetum
function and its role in male reproductive development. They summarize the role of the tapetum in male fertility using rice as a model system, and provide information that can be applied in rice hybridization and that of other major crops.

Read whole paper open access in our scientific journal Plant Biology (2022). DOI: 10.1111/plb.13485

(DBG's members are able to access all Plant Biology papers via our intranet).

Plant Biology · DBG

Review: Plant water uptake modelling - added value of cross-disciplinary approaches

Factors influencing water uptake and complementary interdisciplinary hybrid models of plant water uptake

The authors Dubbert, Couvreur, Kübert, and Werner summarize how interdisciplinary hybrid plant water uptake models add the value of a broader conceptual view of soil-plant feedbacks of water, nutrient and carbon cycling. The main goal is to highlight how the four dominant model approaches can be and have been used to create interdisciplinary hybrid models enabling a holistic system understanding that also embeds plant water uptake plasticity into a broader conceptual view of soil–plant feedbacks of water, nutrient and carbon cycling, or reflects observed drought responses of plant–soil feedbacks and their dynamics under, that is, drought.

Read whole paper open access in our scientific journal Plant Biology 25 (2021) 32–42. DOI: 10.1111/plb.13478.

(DBG's members are able to access all Plant Biology papers via our intranet).

Plant Biology · DBG

Review: Grass species with smoke-released seed dormancy: A response to climate and fire regime but not photosynthetic pathway

Among worldwide grass species, four types of smoke-assisted seed dormancy release can be recognized, based on % with C4 photosynthesis, vegetation type, rainfall seasonality, and type and frequency of fire

In the review author Lamont summarizes the worldwide literature for reports on germination responses among grasses, whose photosynthetic pathway was known, to treatment by smoke and obtained information for 217 species and 126 genera. Thus, even though C3 and C4 grasses are equally capable of expressing smoke sensitivity, their response depends on the region’s climate and fire regime that also dictate which photosynthetic pathway dominates.

Read whole paper in our scientific journal Plant Biology DOI: 10.1111/plb.13479

(DBG's members are able to access all Plant Biology papers via our intranet).

Plant Biology · DBG

Viewpoint: Is a spice missing from the recipe? The intra-cellular localization of vanillin biosynthesis needs further investigations

The biosynthesis of the flavor compound Vanillin is still controversial; specifically the role of the last enzyme of the pathway, vanillin synthase

Authors Diamond, Barnabé and Desgagné-Penix raise questions on the interpretation of data obtained from the technique used and on the true localization of the biosynthetic enzymes in V. planifolia. They discuss the findings surrounding the cellular-localization and activity of enzymes of vanillin biosynthesis. This will help to further understand the pathway and urge for additional research study to resolve the current debate in the biosynthesis of the most popular flavor compound in the world.

Read whole viewpoint in our scientific journal Plant Biology DOI: 10.1111/plb.13465

(DBG's members are able to access all Plant Biology papers via our intranet).

Plant Biology · DBG

Review: Possible mechanisms underlying the compensation effect upon the suppression of AOX1a

Decreased relative amounts of reduced ascorbate at stable reactive-oxygen-species (ROS) levels owing to compensation in AOX-suppressed plants might indicate stress development

Author Garmash in the review with the title "Suppression of mitochondrial alternative oxidase can result in upregulation of the ROS scavenging network: some possible mechanisms underlying the compensation effect" proposes that the decrease in the relative amount of reduced ascorbate at stable ROS levels as a result of compensation in AOX1a-suppressed plants is a sign of stress development.

Read whole paper in our scientific journal Plant Biology DOI: 10.1111/plb.13477

(DBG's members are able to access all Plant Biology papers via our intranet).

Plant Biology · DBG

Review: How magnetic fields affect plants

The magnetic field interacts with plants and accelerates metabolism through signaling pathways, which results in a higher germination rate, and improved growth and production (click to enlarge)

In their paper "Growth, physiological, biochemical and molecular changes in plants induced by magnetic fields" the authors Hafeez, Zahra, Ahmad et al. describe the effects of altering magnetic field conditions (higher or lower values than the Earth’s geomagnetic field) on physiological and biochemical processes of plants: Magnetic field application play a role in changing several physiological processes and could be a potential affordable, reusable and safe practice for enhancing crop productivity by changing physiological and biochemical processes.

Read whole paper in our scientific journal Plant Biology DOI: 10.1111/plb.13459

(DBG's members are able to access all Plant Biology papers via our intranet).

Plant Biology · DBG

Review: Roadmap to improve photosynthetic efficiency in staple crops

Roadmap to imporve photosynthetic efficiency in staple crops. (click to enlarge)

Based on the current experimental advances authors Pradhan, Panda, Bishi, et al. in their review "Progress and prospects of C4 trait engineering in plants" summarize novel biotechnological crop improvement strategies that might help to incorporate C4 photosynthetic traits into C3 crops for sustaining food, fiber and fuel production around the globe. They not only report on successes but also on failures and highlight the pros and cons of using rice as a model plant for short-, medium- and long-term goals of genetic engineering.

Read whole paper in our scientific journal Plant Biology open access. DOI: 10.1111/plb.13446

(DBG's members are able to access all Plant Biology papers via our intranet).

Plant Biology · DBG

Review: How arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi affect the accumulation of secondary metabolites of Traditional Chinese medicinal plants

Effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi on secondary metabolites in Traditional Chinese medicine and the mechanism of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi regulating the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites

In their review "Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi: Effects on secondary metabolite accumulation of traditional Chinese medicines", the authors Ran, Ding, Cao et al. discuss the effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi on secondary metabolites in Traditional Chinese medicine and the mechanism of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi regulating the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites. The results could be used to provide new ideas and methods for improving the quality of Traditional Chinese medicine.

Read whole paper in our scientific journal Plant Biology open access. DOI: 10.1111/plb.13449

(DBG's members are able to access all Plant Biology papers via our intranet).

Plant Biology · DBG

Review: physiological mechanisms how selenium improves heavy metal stress tolerance in plants

Selenium improves the tolerance to heavy metal stress of plants in several ways.

In their review "Advances in physiological mechanisms of selenium to improve heavy metal stress tolerance in plants" the authors Lai, Yang, Rao et al. summarize several antagonistic effects of selenium on heavy metal stressors such as cadmium and mercury. The review helps to comprehensively understand the physiological mechanism of selenium in plant tolerance to heavy metal stress of plants, and provides theoretical support for the practical application of selenium in environmental remediation and agricultural development.

Read whole review in our scientific journal Plant Biology open access. DOI: 10.1111/plb.13435

(DBG's members are able to access all Plant Biology papers via our intranet).

Plant Biology · DBG

How the 2018 hot drought brings Pinus sylvestris to a tipping point and whether the ecosystem recovers

The 2018 hot drought severely impaired hydraulic functionality in a Scots Pine forest, causing accelerated tree mortality rates, which ultimately led to a tipping point for the ecosystem.

In their research paper "Central European 2018 hot drought shifts scots pine forest to its tipping point" published in July 2022 authors Haberstroh et al. analyse the severe negative impacts of the hot drought in 2018 on a Pinus sylvestris forests in southwest Germany. The co-occurrence of unfavourable site-specific conditions with recurrent severe droughts resulted in accelerated mortality. Thus, the 2018 hot drought pushed the P. sylvestris stand towards its tipping point, with a subsequent vegetation shift to a broadleaf-dominated forest. To draw this conclusions the authors had analysed needle water potential, carbon assimilation and volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions. The impact and recovery were assessed as ecosystem carbon exchange, normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) from satellite data and tree mortality data.

Read whole open access paper in our scientific journal Plant Biology (2022). DOI: 10.1111/plb.13455

(DBG's members are able to access all Plant Biology papers via our intranet).

Plant Biology

Our new Viewpoint Editor

Professor Rob Roelfsema (Würzburg) now is the Viewpoint Editor at our journal Plant Biology. He is looking forward to your viewpoints, short papers of approximately three published pages, with one or two figures with the following topics:

  • New insights in a hot topic in plant biology
  • Critical examination of known methods and approaches
  • New emerging techniques
  • Novel conceptual ideas or approaches in developing fields

Feel free to contact him at Würzburg University, if you have any questions. Please note that scientists in Germany and several other European countries can publish open access in Plant Biology without costs (https://deal-operations.de/en/here-is-the-deal) and please contact your library if these conditions apply to your Institution.

Actualia (engl.)

Journal Plant Biology: new editor-in-chief, reviews and Open Access

Prof. Dr. Christiane Werner is the new Editor-in-chief of our journal. Photo: private

Starting this year, Prof. Dr. Christiane Werner, Chair of Ecosystem Physiology at Freiburg University, Germany, has taken the new editor-in-chief position of our scientific journal Plant Biology. Werner was Co-Editor of the journal for several years and has established new ideas together with her predecessor, Prof. Dr. Heinz Rennenberg (Freiburg University), to advance the journal: The new research reviews, for example, are a good possibility for PostDocs and early career researchers to promote their field of research and become more visible in the plant science community. Contact person for reviews is Dr. Susann Wicke (HU Berlin). Werner is pleased that, thanks to Rennenberg's outstanding work, she will be able to continue a well-established journal whose impact factor Rennenberg nearly doubled in the 17 years of his editorial leadership. Plant Biology receives around 800 papers each year. Together with her diverse editorial board, the new leader hopes to implement other measures to increase the journal's visibility, such as more Special Issues or notices on Twitter and other social media. Werner is looking forward to receiving research articles as well as opinion pieces on plant research, which can be published Open Access thanks to the so-called DEAL contract, provided that the first author comes from a German scientific institution. Werner is supported by Annette Schlierenkamp in the Freiburg editorial office.

To Plant Biology’s website

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About DBG's scientific journal

Plant Biology is an international journal of broad scope bringing together the different subdisciplines, such as physiology, molecular biology, cell biology, development, genetics, systematics, ecology, evolution, ecophysiology, plant-microbe interactions, and mycology. The Journal Plant Biology is published by the German Botanical Society and the Royal Botanical Society of the Netherlands. Editors are Prof. Dr. Christiane Werner (Freiburg) and Prof. J.T.M. Elzenga (Groningen).

Papers, Reviews, Topics and Theses

In Plant Biology scientists publish original research papers or write reviews. Discussion of hot topics and provocative opinion articles are published under the heading "Acute Views". The papers are peer-reviewed by independent scientists. 

How to publish Open Access for free

Members of German academic institutions can publish plant science results in our journal Plant Biology open access for free (due to the DEAL-Agreement). Since 15th February 2023 the new website of the DEAL Consortium https://deal-konsortium.de/en/ provides all information for German institutions, scientific authors and all interested people.

Impact

Plant Biology’s Impact Factor has now reached 3.87, which is a strong increase on 2020 (3.08 in 2020, Source: Journal Citation Reports, Clarivate Analytics). Plant Biology is now ranked 58/239 in the Plant Science Category, which is the top quartile.

History

Starting in January 2008 the journal will be published every second month by Wiley-Blackwell. The journal is the successor of the "Berichte der Deutschen Botanischen Gesellschaft", published by the DBG from 1882-1987, followed by "Botanica Acta", published by the DBG from 1988 - 1998.

In the years 1999-2007 the journal was published in the Thieme publishing house. Since January 2008 the society's journal is published at Wiley-Blackwell.

Access

Members of the DBG are able to access the journal freely via the Intranet

Volumes and issues are also accessible behind a paywall on the Publishers Website.

[Translate to Englisch:] Privacy Policy of the journal Plant Biology (GDPR)

> Privacy Policy of the journal Plant Biology (GDPR)