Cold stress limits plant geographical distribution and influences plant growth, development, and yields. Plants as sessile organisms have evolved complex biochemical and physiological mechanisms to adapt to cold stress. These mechanisms are regulated by a series of transcription factors and proteins for efficient cold stress acclimation. It has been established that the ICE-CBF-COR signaling pathway in plants regulates how plants acclimatize to cold stress. Cold stress is perceived by receptor proteins, triggering signal transduction, and Inducer of CBF Expression (ICE) genes are activated and regulated, consequently upregulating the transcription and expression of the C-repeat Binding Factor (CBF) genes. The CBF protein binds to the C-repeat/Dehydration Responsive Element (CRT/DRE), a homeopathic element of the Cold Regulated genes (COR gene) promoter, activating their transcription. Transcriptional regulations and post-translational modifications regulate and modify these entities at different response levels by altering their expression or activities in the signaling cascade. These activities then lead to efficient cold stress tolerance. This paper contains a concise summary of the ICE-CBF-COR pathway elucidating on the cross interconnections with other repressors, inhibitors, and activators to induce cold stress acclimation in plants.

Plant growth, yield, and distribution are significantly impacted by abiotic stresses, affecting global ecosystems and forestry practices. However, plants have evolved complex adaptation mechanisms governed by numerous genes and transcription factors (TFs) to manage these stresses. Among these, bZIP (basic leucine zipper) is a crucial regulator orchestrating morphological adaptations. This review aims to elucidate the multifaceted roles of bZIP TFs in plant species. We discuss the morphological changes induced by stress stimuli and the pivotal functions of bZIP TFs in mediating these responses. While several publications have explored the mechanisms of bZIP TFs in response to abiotic stresses, this review delves into the intricate regulatory networks, summarizing alternative splicing and post-translational modifications, signaling networks interacting with bZIP TFs, and genetic engineering of bZIP TFs. By synthesizing current research, this review provides an updated discussion on bZIP interactions with other proteins to regulate stresses such as cold, heat, drought, and salt. Additionally, it offers avenues for future research and applications of bZIP TFs to improve abiotic stress resilience in plants through genetic engineering.

Plants serve as the basis for ecosystems and provide a wide range of essential ecological, environmental, and economic benefits. However, forest plants and other forest systems are constantly threatened by degradation and extinction, mainly due to misuse and exhaustion. Therefore, sustainable forest management (SFM) is paramount, especially in the wake of global climate change and other challenges. SFM ensures the continued provision of plants and forests to both the present and future generations. In practice, SFM faces challenges in balancing the use and conservation of forests. This review discusses the transformative potential of artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, and deep learning (DL) technologies in sustainable forest management. It summarizes current research and technological improvements implemented in sustainable forest management using AI, discussing their applications, such as predictive analytics and modeling techniques that enable accurate forecasting of forest dynamics in carbon sequestration, species distribution, and ecosystem conditions. Additionally, it explores how AI-powered decision support systems facilitate forest adaptive management strategies by integrating real-time data in the form of images or videos. The review manuscript also highlights limitations incurred by AI, ML, and DL in combating challenges in sustainable forest management, providing acceptable solutions to these problems. It concludes by providing future perspectives and the immense potential of AI, ML, and DL in modernizing SFM. Nonetheless, a great deal of research has already shed much light on this topic, this review bridges the knowledge gap.

CRISPR/Cas-based genome editing technology provides straightforward, proficient, and multifunctional ways for the site-directed modification of organism genomes and genes. The application of CRISPR-based technology in plants has a vast potential value in gene function research, germplasm innovation, and genetic improvement. The complexity of woody plants genome may pose significant challenges in the application and expansion of various new editing techniques, such as Cas9, 12, 13, and 14 effectors, base editing, particularly for timberland species with a long life span, huge genome, and ploidy. Therefore, many novel optimisms have been drawn to molecular breeding research based on woody plants. This review summarizes the recent development of CRISPR/Cas applications for essential traits, including wood properties, flowering, biological stress, abiotic stress, growth, and development in woody plants. We outlined the current problems and future development trends of this technology in germplasm and the improvement of products in woody plants.

Climate change has a significant impact on species population size and distribution, global biodiversity, and ecological status. The Liriodendron genus contains two species: Liriodendron chinense and Liriodendron tulipifera, both playing important roles in timber, medicinal, and landscape purposes. However, little is known about their population distribution characteristics and important climatic factors shaping their suitability. In this research, we used the geological record data, 19 climate components, MaxEnt, and ArcGIS to recreate and analyze the potential population distribution and their alterations of Liriodendron within the world beneath the current and future scenarios of RCP 2.6, RCP 4.5, and RCP 8.5 in 2050 and 2070. Our results showed that: Liriodendron is suitable to grow in subtropical monsoon climate areas, and that the climatic factor of precipitation of warmest quarter exerts the greatest impact on L. chinense, with a contribution rate of 57.6%. Additionally, we showed that the climatic factor of precipitation of the driest month exerts the greatest impact on L. tulipifera, with a contribution rate of 60.5%. Further analysis exhibited that low temperature and temperature fluctuations are major temperature factors affecting L. chinense and L. tulipifera, respectively. Therefore, we predicted that by the 2050s and 2070s, the areas of Liriodendron suitable habitats would increase first and then decrease in three scenarios; except the area of L. tulipifera suitable habitats under RCP8.5, which shows a slight increase. We then conclude that the Liriodendron suitable areas would shift to high latitudes due to global climate warming. The information gained from this study will provide a reference for developing forest cultivation, management, and conservation strategies for these two important tree species, and also a basis for subsequent biogeographic research.

As a magnoliid angiosperm, the Liriodendron chinense (Hamsl) Sarg in the Magnoliaceae family is susceptible to external environmental factors. The TEOSINTE BRANCHED 1/CYCLOIDEA/PROLIFERATING CELL FACTORS (TCP) proteins known for their growth and developmental biological roles have been identified in various plant species but not in the Liriodendron chinense. In this study, 15 TCP genes were identified in the L. chinense genome, and categorized into two classes, termed class I (PCF) and class II (CIN and CYC/TB1). A total of 14 TCP genes were located on the 10 chromosomes, and the remaining one, on a contig. Multispecies phylogenetic tree analysis supported the classification of identified LcTCP genes and exhibited that the expansion of the LcTCP gene family was before the angiosperm evolutionary divergence times. Additional gene duplication investigations revealed a purifying selection pressure during evolution history. Moreover, the LcTCP genes were also observed to have various cis-acting elements related to plant growth and development, phytohormone regulations, and abiotic stress responses. Gene expression pattern analysis also paraded that LcTCP genes play a crucial role in abiotic stress regulations. In particular, LcTCP1 in all stresses investigated. Overall, our findings suggest a pivotal role for the TCP gene family during external environmental stresses in L. chinense. This study will provide valuable information on the identification and function of the LcTCPs during abiotic stresses, paving the way for further research on the functional verification of L. chinense TCPs.