SEB Annual Meetings cover a diverse range of plant, animal and cell biology, and that
diversity extends within each section – as scientists we are all specialists, but
we all deeply value the wider connections between disciplines that are a vital part
of the organization. That range and ethos is echoed in the plant science published
in Journal of Experimental Botany (JXB) every month, and this year we have put together
a virtual issue of the journal both to celebrate our approach and increase awareness
of how the content is developing.
The articles selected follow the plant sessions at the SEB meeting and also include
those from the preceding satellite meeting, ‘Advances in Plant Reproduction – from
Gametes to Seeds’. A number of papers in the issue cover fascinating aspects of pollination
and reproductive investment, including the effects of temperature on pollination in
faba bean (Vicia faba), which produces a move from selfing to outcrossing in this
significant crop (Bishop et al., 2017; Stoddard, 2017), and the mechanism by which
wheat flowers open when self-pollination fails, facilitating cross-pollination (Dixon
et al., 2017; Okada et al., 2017). These findings are important in understanding fundamental
mechanisms and moreover are directly relevant for breeders, and in both cases their
wider importance is highlighted and further explored in the accompanying Insight articles
by other research scientists. Insights in the eXtra Botany section, a part of our
journal since 2016 (Raines, 2016), provide readers with accessible information beyond
their specialism and highlight links between disciplines – as with the diverse sessions
at the SEB meetings.
Continuing the theme of plant reproduction, Staedler et al. (2017) used a new approach
with computed tomography-based tools to examine reproductive investment in orchids.
The high-resolution 3D imaging of flowers with almost no specimen destruction was
used to count the pollen grains and ovules at two different scales in ‘deceptive’
and ‘rewarding’ species. This is interesting not just in the specific situation, understanding
the balance between species types and their effects on pollinators, but also in the
much wider value of the methodology in counting high-contrast objects within tissues,
an aspect covered further by Legland et al. (2017). Related reviews in the issue cover
the complex biomechanics of seed germination (Steinbrecher and Leubner-Metzger, 2017)
and parthenocarpy, i.e. fruit set without fertilization (Joldersma and Liu, 2018;
see also the Flowering Newsletter and Blog at floweringhighlights.org).
Moving to broad topics in the SEB meeting, these include the genome/genomics and environmental
impacts on epigenetic memory (see Rodriguez-Granados et al., 2016; Shen et al., 2016;
Nakamura and Hennig, 2017; Wang and Köhler, 2017; Yolcu et al., 2018); the shaping
of root architecture (Amtmann and Shahzad, 2017; Walch-Liu et al., 2017; Du and Scheres,
2018); morphogenesis in non-flowering plants (Peguero-Pina et al., 2017; Veromann-Jürgenson
et al., 2017; Thelander et al., 2018); the impact of climate change on forests (Dusenge
and Way, 2017; Slot and Way, 2017); general plant temperature responses (Hu et al.,
2017); enhancing photosynthesis with CO2-concentrating mechanisms (Beardall and Raven,
2017; Ji et al., 2017; Rae et al., 2017); and, finally, plant biotechnology for human
health and nutrition (Moses and Goossens, 2017; Poon et al., 2018).
The link with societal issues has always been important in JXB, and the work by Poon
et al. on cyclotides is yet another example of this close connection. It was demonstrated
that introduction of a specific asparaginyl endopeptidase gene greatly improves the
production of cyclic peptides in a range of plants, including Nicotiana benthamiana,
as well as crops such as bush bean (Phaseolus vulgaris), lettuce and canola. As noted
by the authors, cyclotides hold great potential, both as key active molecules themselves
and, through their exceptional stability, as facilitators.
Interpreting the science
Interweaving with regular issues of the journal, our special issues provide a focus
on topical areas, and these are led by authoritative Special Issue Editorials, often
written by guest editors who have also been involved in organizing the scientific
programmes for related conferences. These provide essential context about the overall
area of research and act as a useful point of reference for each collection. But increasingly
we have encouraged writers to go further than this, taking a view on the state of
the field, wider implications and new directions, much as one would take away from
participation in the sessions at meetings. In this issue, again linking with major
sessions at the SEB meeting, such editorials cover seed development, maturation and
germination (Penfield, 2017), the plant hormones auxin (Weijers et al., 2018) and
jasmonate (Zhu and Napier, 2017), and plant senescence (Woo et al., 2018). All plant
biology links with global environmental issues, but research in JXB often makes this
connection directly, including in the editorials by Griffiths et al. (2017), which
advances new evolutionary ideas in the area of carbon concentrating mechanisms in
aquatic photosynthesis, and Considine et al. (2017), which sets out the need for crop
improvement programmes to re-focus on legumes in coming years, addressing the challenge
of food security and climate change (Considine et al., 2017).
Prestigious Darwin reviews in JXB have provided readers with in-depth accounts of
diverse subjects for many years, and those selected for this issue provide coverage
ranging from the origins of multicellularity (Niklas et al., 2018) to trace metal
metabolism (Andresen et al., 2018), seed germination (Steinbrecher and Leubner-Metzger,
2017) to control of leaf angle (Mantilla-Perez and Fernandez, 2017) and leaf hydraulic
decline during dehydration (Scoffoni and Sack, 2017). Sweeping through these is the
link between an understanding of basic plant function and effective breeding programmes
for a rising population, and the review by Xu et al. (2017) on the enhancement of
genetic gain, i.e. the increase in performance that can be achieved each year, provides
an outstanding, detailed analysis.
Experimental approaches
Stutz et al. (2017) used a 13C-labelling technique to examine the complexity of xylem-originating
CO2 and its effect on measured leaf respiration in trees. The dilemma, so important
in understanding carbon allocation and cycling, is further highlighted and explained
by Gessler (2017). Such rigorous experimental analysis – with significant implications
for our understanding – is another characteristic of the JXB approach. The Viewpoint
by Dietz (2017) similarly tackles previous experimental limitations, with the focus
here on ensuring that subcellular localization is properly considered in investigating
the metabolome. Such thought-provoking, short articles in the eXtra Botany section
of the journal are welcome and also provide the opportunity to tackle controversial
areas (e.g. Blum, 2016; Maron et al., 2016; Shabala, 2017).
Community support
We are proud of the link between the SEB and JXB (it is fully owned by the society),
and the cross-disciplinary approach to science exemplified by the SEB Annual Meeting
and the journal is clear from the themes and articles explored here. The journal is
also pleased to be able to provide direct sponsorship for the satellite meeting ‘Advances
in Plant Reproduction – from Gametes to Seeds’ and the session covering morphogenesis
in non-flowering plants.
High-impact science and excellent quality metrics, underpinned by an outstanding editorial
board, will always be critical for JXB. But as a community-led journal other aspects
including free open access publication for corresponding authors of subscribing institutions,
any reasonable format for initial submission, free data archiving with Dryad Digital
Repository (up to 20 GB) and full integration with the BioRxiv preprint server are
also given a very high priority. This year publication on acceptance has been a popular
new addition ensuring that papers are available at the earliest possible opportunity.
We also undertake the highest standards of quality assessment, with friendly and supportive
staff making the publication process as efficient as possible.
As always, comments are very welcome – just email the editorial office at j.exp.bot@lancaster.ac.uk
with any feedback and/or questions.