Plant Meiosis and Gametogenesis Under Abiotic Stress

In sexually reproducing organisms, meiosis creates genetic diversity based on which selection can happen, driving the evolution of species and their adaptation to changing environmental conditions. Evolution, however, operates on a timescale that a warming climate imposes a huge impact. Heat, cold, drought and salinity act on plant reproduction within a single generation, but their impacts may last over generations by inducing alterations in meiosis and thus the genetic make-up in offspring. The reproductive phase is the most stress-sensitive stage of the plant life cycle. In genetic models and major crops, abiotic stresses have been evidenced to trigger altered meiotic recombination rates and crossover distribution, disordered chromosome organization and segregation, aborted gamete development and thus sterility. Despite the significance for food security, the genetic and molecular basis of the response and/or tolerance of reproductive development in plants, especially meiosis and gametogenesis, to abiotic stresses remain largely elusive.The goal of this Research Topic is to advance mechanistic understanding of how abiotic stress reshapes meiosis, flower development and gametogenesis in plants, and to identify the genetic, molecular and breeding levers that can protect reproductive success under a changing climate.Contributions are welcome on, but not limited to, the following themes:• Conservation and divergence of the responses of meiosis, flower development and gametogenesis to abiotic stress across plant species, and the mechanisms behind them• Genetic and molecular mechanisms, including natural genetic variation, that regulate the tolerance and response of meiosis, flower development and gametogenesis to abiotic stress• Responses and adaptation of meiosis, flower development and gametogenesis to abiotic stress in polyploid plants• Emerging methods and technologies, including advances in cytological approaches for dissecting meiosis, flower development and gametogenesis; tissue- and cell-type-specific single-cell genome sequencing and spatial multi-omics; profiling of recombination and chromatin modification landscapes; and high-throughput phenotyping combined with machine learning to predict reproductive traits and stress responses• Genetic manipulation and breeding strategies to generate plants that are stress-resilient at the reproductive stageCytological, molecular, genetic and physiological studies are all encouraged, within the scope of meiosis, recombination, chromosome dynamics, polyploidy, DNA damage response, and flower and pollen development under abiotic stress. Work on model species, crops, horticultural species and non-model plants is equally welcome. Topic editors: Chao Yang, Bing Liu, Danny Geelen, Chong Wang Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/85671/plant-meiosis-and-gametogenesis-under-abiotic-stress