Cold stresses, including freezing (< 0ºC) and chilling (0-15 ºC) stress, have threatened the sustainability of crop yields. As sessile organisms, plants have evolved sophisticated mechanisms to cope with cold stress, these processes involve several biochemical and physiological changes, including increased levels of proline, soluble sugars, and MDA, as well as enzyme activities. Once the cell membrane receptor detected cold stress, the signal was transduced to switch on cold-responsive genes and transcription factors, allowing the cell to mediate stress resistance.

With the new tools available for high-throughput phenotyping and multi-omics techniques, as well as advances in gene editing strategies, we are moving closer to a better understanding of the physiological, biochemical, and molecular mechanisms involved in plant cold tolerance. However, we are still far from knowing the exact mechanism that confers resistance to plants under cold conditions, particularly the signaling cascades of plant response to cold stress. Fundamental discoveries made in this area will eventually guide the development of plants that are resistant to cold stress.

We welcome submissions of original research papers, reviews, and methods, including (but not limited to) research on the following sub-themes:
• The mechanism of the cellular sensing of cold stress.
• Messenger molecules involved in cold signal transduction.
• The molecular basis of cold acclimation in plants.
• The crosstalk between cold stress and other signal cues, such as light or hormones.
• The effect of cold stress on gene expression and protein stability.
• Genome editing/transgenic approaches to increase cold tolerance.

Disclaimer: Systematic research that uses non-experimental methods such as mathematical modeling, omics approaches, bioinformatics to study plant cold tolerance is out of the scope of this Research Topic.

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Frontiers in Plant Science

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