Plant Signaling & Behavior

Integrated Perspectives on miRNA Regulation in Plant Stress Responses

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are short (21—24 nucleotide) non-coding RNAs that have emerged as versatile post-transcriptional regulators that integrate diverse molecular pathways underlying plant stress adaptation. By modulating stress-responsive genes, transcription factors, and signaling components, miRNAs fine-tune responses to myriads of both abiotic and biotic stresses. Their regulatory influence extends to phytohormonal signaling, reactive oxygen species (ROS) homeostasis, and growth–defense balance, positioning miRNAs as important hubs of stress-response networks. Dynamic, tissue- and stage-specific changes in miRNA abundance, together with their systemic mobility, enable coordinated responses to environmental challenges. Increasing evidence also indicates that miRNAs interact with other regulatory RNAs and can contribute to stress memory and phenotypic plasticity. These multilayered interactions provide plants with flexible mechanisms to integrate recurrent as well as simultaneous environmental stresses.

Plant stress responses are governed by highly tenable, interconnected multiple regulatory networks in which miRNAs function as important post-transcriptional regulators. An integrated approach is therefore essential to elucidate the molecular mechanism underlying the coordination of miRNAs with other defense regulatory networks under environmental changes resulting in imposing stress-induced plasticity while balancing plant growth. By bringing together these interconnected dimensions, this collection aims to provide a comprehensive perspective on the multifaceted regulatory functions of miRNAs in plant stress adaptation and to highlight emerging opportunities for exploiting small RNA-based strategies in sustainable agriculture and crop improvement.

In this Article Collection, we are pleased to invite original articles, reviews, short communications, and commentaries to advance our knowledge in understanding the molecular mechanisms and signaling networks regulated by miRNAs in plant defense responses while implying them in crop improvement programs. Topics will include, but not limited to:

• Effect of miRNAs on gene regulatory networks in plants under recurrent environmental challenges
• Multilayered crosstalk between miRNA and other non-coding RNAs in plant stress response
• miRNA mediated cross-kingdom regulation during plant–pathogen interactions
• miRNA regulating plasticity of plants to biotic and abiotic stresses through ROS metabolism, phytohormonal signaling, cell wall dynamics and intercellular communications
• miRNAs in balancing crop growth and defense trade-off and their contributions to sustainable agriculture and crop improvement programs through implications of small RNA-based technology tools

Keywords: Plant miRNA, Plant stress response, Non-coding RNA crosstalk, Growth–defense trade-off, Crop improvement

Guest Advisors

Dr. Sharmila Chattopadhyay, PhD, is a principal investigator at the CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology. Her key research interest is molecular interactions of plant defense signaling networks with special reference to GSH. To elucidate the biosynthetic pathways of plant secondary metabolites/its metabolic networks as well as the genetic manipulation of plant natural products that have a significantly potential therapeutic effect, is another area of her research expertise. Here is the link to her ORCID page: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9058-9415.

Dr. Asma Sultana, PhD, is engaged as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Botany, J.K. College, West Bengal, India, and received her Ph.D. from the CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, India. Her research focuses on plant stress physiology, molecular interactions, and omics-based insights into plant–microbe interactions, with particular emphasis on phytohormones and glutathione (GSH) in plant stress tolerance and defense. Her work explores how several signaling molecules and phytohormones, viz., salicylic acid and jasmonic acid, including GSH and miRNAs, regulate the downstream genes, transcription factors, and proteins during plant–microbe interactions. Her academic contributions include publications in Q1- and Q2-ranked journals and service as a reviewer for scientific journals. Here is the link to her ORCID page: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7739-1025.

Disclosure statement: Both Guest Advisors declare no conflict of interest.

­­All manuscripts submitted to this Article Collection will undergo desk assessment and peer-review as part of our standard editorial process; the Guest Advisor for this Collection will not be handling the manuscripts (unless they are an Editorial Board member).

Please review the journal scope  and author submission instructions  prior to submitting a manuscript.

The deadline for submitting manuscripts is July 31st, 2027.

Please contact Ruby Ru at ruby.ru@taylorandfrancis.com  with any queries and discount codes regarding this Article Collection.

To submit your papers to this Article Collection, please:

1. Check "yes" for the question, "Are you submitting your paper for a specific special issue or article collection?"
2. Select the relevant Article Collection from the drop-down menu under the question, "Special Issue or Article Collection Name."