Cell-resolved and spatial omics insights into combined heat and drought stress tolerance in crop plants

Heat and drought stress are major environmental factors that severely limit crop growth, productivity, and global food security. As climate change intensifies, these stresses increasingly co-occur as combined or sequential events, posing complex challenges for sustaining agricultural systems. Extensive research has revealed that plants respond to such stresses through multifaceted molecular, cellular, and physiological mechanisms involving hormone signaling, redox regulation, transcriptional reprogramming, and organelle-level changes. However, traditional bulk-tissue analyses obscure the cell-type-specific and spatially distinct aspects of these responses. Recent breakthroughs in single-cell and spatial omics technologies have dramatically enhanced our ability to examine these processes at unprecedented resolution, offering novel insights into how individual cell populations perceive, integrate, and adapt to environmental stressors. Despite these advances, a central gap remains in understanding how stress-induced organelle dysfunction interacts with nucleus-centered gene regulatory networks and reactive oxygen species (ROS) signaling to coordinate whole-plant adaptation under combined heat and drought conditions — a question this Research Topic places at its core.This Research Topic aims to advance understanding of the molecular, cellular, and subcellular mechanisms that underpin combined heat and drought stress tolerance in crop plants using omics-driven discovery, with particular emphasis on cell-type-specific and spatial resolution. The goal is to identify key regulatory pathways, signaling networks, and organelle communication processes that determine plant resilience at the cellular scale. Specific objectives include uncovering cell-type-specific stress responses, deciphering the integration of hormone and ROS signaling in stress adaptation, and exploring how multi-omics approaches can reveal targets for improving crop performance under combined climatic stress. By fostering cross-disciplinary collaboration, this topic seeks to promote innovative methodologies and conceptual frameworks that link molecular responses to physiological outcomes.To gather further insights into cell-type-specific, spatial, and organelle-level adaptations, we welcome contributions from diverse omics and systems biology perspectives. Studies focusing on combined or sequential heat and drought stress are especially encouraged, although work on either stress in isolation will also be considered where mechanisms have clear relevance to combined-stress adaptation. Contributions across staple cereals, legumes, and horticultural crops are particularly welcome, while studies on other agriculturally relevant crops are also in scope. Studies spanning genomic, transcriptomic, proteomic, and metabolomic levels are encouraged, while work integrating multiple omics layers or developing novel analytical tools is particularly valued.We welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:・Organelle dysfunction, inter-organelle communication, and their integration with nucleus-centered gene regulatory networks and ROS signaling under combined stress (flagship theme)・Single-cell and single-nucleus RNA sequencing to dissect cell-type-specific stress responses・Spatial transcriptomics and integrative multi-omics approaches to map local and systemic adaptation・ROS and ABA signaling networks in combined heat and drought stress adaptation・Gene regulatory networks underlying crop resilience and yield stability under stress・Systems biology and computational modeling approaches for predicting adaptive responses-------We welcome contributions from researchers across the field, and we are glad to support you as you prepare your submission. If you would like early feedback on whether your planned manuscript fits the scope of this Research Topic, please write to us at plantscience@frontiersin.org before submitting. A quick check at this stage helps confirm your work is a strong fit and can save you time later in the process.To take part, click “Participate in this topic” at the top right of this page, then confirm through the “Participate” link in the follow-up email. This lets us know to expect your contribution, keeps you informed of key deadlines, and gives you access to resources that guide you through submission. We look forward to your participation and to building a vibrant, cohesive Research Topic together. Topic editors: MUHAMMAD ALI, Gang Lu, Tianxia Yang, Adil Hussain, Hidayat Ullah Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/81314/cell-resolved-and-spatial-omics-insights-into-combined-heat-and-drought-stress-tolerance-in-crop-plants