About this Research Topic

Background

The life cycle of flowering plants can be considered as a series of distinct growth phases driven by developmental genetic programs. The transition from vegetative growth to reproduction is a complex process involving the regulation of many different genes and transcription factors (TFs). The following life stage, seed development and maturation, is also critical to secure the reproductive success of plants. Seed storage reserves, such as protein, triacylglycerol (TAG), and starch, are enclosed during seed development, which affects the seed quality and viability. Such traits are of particular importance in agricultural production; therefore, a comprehensive understanding of the genetic mechanisms of seed development and storage substance accumulation is essential for the enhancement of crop yield and nutrition quality.

The demand for high-yield crops to feed a growing human population is a global challenge. In-depth studies of plant development and reproduction, nutritional quality formation, and yield potential can help researchers develop crop varieties with higher yield and nutritional value. Despite the clues revealed in model species and few edible plants, the molecular mechanisms of plant development, embryogenesis, and storage substances mobilization remain to be explored in agronomically important crops like wheat, soybean, maize, rice, etc. Other important questions also need to be answered, such as the molecular basis of the often-observed correlation between protein, oil, and carbohydrate biosynthesis and accumulation in seeds, and the coordination of genes/TFs with different phytohormones (abscisic acid, jasmonic acid, ethylene, salicylic acid and etc.) in regulating plant development and reproduction.

The aim of this Research Topic is to collect the recent advances in the molecular regulation of seed development and storage reserve metabolism in crops. We encourage research on the following issues: (1) how genes/TFs control the developmental milestones via phytohormones, (2) the genetic basis of seed development growth, maturation, and seed dormancy, and (3) the molecular regulation of storage reserve mobilization and accumulation in crop seeds.

We welcome contributions of different article types, including Original Research, Brief Research Reports, Perspectives, Reviews, and Mini Reviews on the following subthemes but are not limited to:
• Characterization of genes/transcription factors involved in seed development
• Genetics of embryogenesis and phase transition in crop plants
• Functional characterization of genes/transcription factors responsible for seed growth, maturation, and seed dormancy
• Molecular basis of seed storage reserves (TAG, protein, and starch) metabolism in crops
• Molecular regulation of phytohormone action at different developmental stages of crops
• Effects of different phytohormones on plant reproduction and seed development

Keywords: embryogenesis, flower development, seed development, seed storage accumulation, storage reserves metabolism

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.

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