Multi-Layer Regulation of Plant Abiotic Stress Tolerance: From Epigenetic Mechanisms and Adaptive Evolution to Molecular Breeding Innovations

Plant science research has increasingly shifted focus toward understanding the complex mechanisms that enable crops to withstand abiotic stresses such as drought, salinity, and extreme temperatures. These adverse environmental conditions pose a significant threat to global food security, intensified by ongoing climate change. While conventional breeding efforts have led to progress in developing stress-tolerant varieties, such approaches are often hindered by long breeding cycles, genetic limitations, and incomplete knowledge of regulatory mechanisms. Recent advances underscore the vital roles of epigenetic modifications, adaptive evolution, and molecular breeding technologies in enhancing crop resilience, yet these areas often remain fragmented in the literature. Notably, emerging multi-omics tools and gene-editing techniques have provided new insights, but there is still a gap in fully translating these findings across levels of biological organization and into practical breeding strategies.This Research Topic aims to systematically bridge the gap between mechanistic discoveries and crop improvement efforts by integrating knowledge across epigenetic regulation, evolutionary adaptation, and molecular breeding innovation. The primary objective is to unify current research on how plants perceive and respond to abiotic stress at molecular, physiological, and population scales, identify novel regulatory networks and adaptive markers, and provide actionable targets for breeding. Key questions include: Which epigenetic factors drive stress-responsive gene expression? How have evolutionary pressures shaped natural variation in stress tolerance? And how can new breeding technologies capitalize on these insights to develop resilient crops more efficiently?We seek submissions that focus on the multidimensional regulatory networks underlying plant abiotic stress tolerance, with attention to the synergy between basic biological insights and translational breeding applications. The scope is limited to plant responses to major abiotic stresses, specifically through the lens of integrative regulatory mechanisms and innovation in crop improvement. To gather further insights in this area, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:• Epigenetic modifications (DNA methylation, histone modification, non-coding RNAs) in abiotic stress responses• Evolutionary dynamics and natural variation of stress tolerance traits• Identification of novel molecular targets and genetic pathways for breeding• Application of genome editing, marker-assisted selection, and omics-driven strategies in breeding for stress resilience• Translational studies bridging fundamental discoveries with breeding innovationsWe invite original research articles, comprehensive reviews, short communications, and perspective papers that contribute to advancing both understanding and application in crop stress resilience. Topic editors: Chang Du, Khurram Shahzad, Zheng Yang Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/78563/multi-layer-regulation-of-plant-abiotic-stress-tolerance-from-epigenetic-mechanisms-and-adaptive-evolution-to-molecular-breeding-innovations