The Special Issue “Plant Proteomics 3.0” was conceived in an attempt to address the recent advancements in as well as limitations of current proteomic techniques and their diverse applications to attain new insights into plant molecular responses to various biotic and abiotic stressors and the molecular bases of other processes. Proteomics’ focus is also related to translational purposes, including food traceability and allergen detection. In addition, bioinformatic techniques are needed for more confident identification, quantitation, data analysis and networking, especially with non-model or orphan plants, including medicinal and meditational plants as well as forest tree species. This Special Issue contains 23 articles, including four reviews and 19 original papers.

Advancements in high-throughput “Omics” techniques have revolutionized plant molecular biology research. Proteomics offers one of the best options for the functional analysis of translated regions of the genome, generating a wealth of detailed information regarding the intrinsic mechanisms of plant stress responses. Various proteomic approaches are being exploited extensively for elucidating master regulator proteins which play key roles in stress perception and signaling, and these approaches largely involve gel-based and gel-free techniques, including both label-based and label-free protein quantification. Furthermore, post-translational modifications, subcellular localization, and protein–protein interactions provide deeper insight into protein molecular function. Their diverse applications contribute to the revelation of new insights into plant molecular responses to various biotic and abiotic stressors.

There have been several advancements made in high-throughput protein technologies creating immense possibilities for studying proteomics on a large scale. Researchers are exploring various proteomic techniques to unravel the mystery of plant stress tolerance mechanisms. Plant Proteomics: Implications in Growth, Quality Improvement, and Stress Resilience introduces readers to techniques and methodologies of proteomics and explains different physiological phenomena in plants and their responses to various environmental cues and defense mechanisms against pathogens. The main emphasis is on research involving applications of proteomics to understand different aspects of the life cycle of plant species including dormancy, flowering, photosynthetic efficiency, nitrogen assimilation, accumulation of nutritional parameters, secondary metabolite production, reproduction and grain yield as well as signalling responses during abiotic and biotic stresses. The book takes a unique approach, encompassing high throughput and sophisticated proteomic techniques while integrating proteomics with other “omics.” Features: Integrates the branch of proteomics with other “omics” approaches including genomics and metabolomics, giving a holistic view of the overall “omics” approaches. Covers various proteomics approaches for the identification of biological processes, future perspectives, and upcoming applications to identify diverse genes in plants. Presents readers with various proteomics tools for the improvement of plant growth, quality, and resilience against climate change, and pathogen infection. Enables researchers in identifying novel proteins that could be used as target to generate plants with improved traits. Prof. Aryadeep Roychoudhury is currently working as Professor in the Discipline of Life Sciences, Indira Gandhi National Open University, New Delhi, India. Earlier, he served as Assistant Professor at the Post Graduate Department of Biotechnology, St. Xavier’s College (Autonomous), Kolkata, West Bengal, India. He received his B.Sc. (Hons.) in Botany from Presidency College, Kolkata, and M.Sc. in Biophysics and Molecular Biology, University of Calcutta, West Bengal, India. He earned his Ph.D. from Jadavpur University, Kolkata in the area of stress biology in plants. Following his Ph.D. work, he joined as Research Associate (Post doctorate) at the University of Calcutta, pursuing translational research on transgenic rice. He is presently involved in active research in the field of abiotic stress responses in plants with perspectives to the physiology, molecular biology and cell signaling under diverse stress conditions. He has 23 years of research experience in the concerned discipline. Prof. Roychoudhury has handled several government-funded projects as principal investigator and supervised five Ph.D. students as principal investigator. He has published over 250 articles in peer-reviewed journals and chapters in books of international and national repute. He has edited many books with Wiley, Elsevier, and Springer, and has also handled Special Issues as Guest Editor for several renowned international journals. He is a regular reviewer of articles in high-impact, international journals, Life Member of different scientific associations and societies, and the recipient of the Young Scientist Award 2019, conferred upon him by International Foundation for Environment and Ecology, at University of Allahabad, Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh. His name is included in the Stanford University’s List of World’s Top 2% Influential Scientists.

The field of proteomics has advanced considerably over the past two decades. The ability to delve deeper into an organism’s proteome, identify an array of post-translational modifications and profile differentially abundant proteins has greatly expanded the utilization of proteomics. Improvements to instrumentation in conjunction with the development of these reproducible workflows have driven the adoption and application of this technology by a wider research community. However, the full potential of proteomics is far from being fully exploited in plant biology and its translational application needs to be further developed. In 2011, a group of plant proteomic researchers established the International Plant Proteomics Organization (INPPO) to advance the utilization of this technology in plants as well as to create a way for plant proteomics researchers to interact, collaborate and exchange ideas. The INPPO conducted its inaugural world congress in mid 2014 at the University of Hamburg (Germany). Plant proteomic researchers from around the world were in attendance and the event marked the maturation of this research community. The Research Topic captures the opinions, ideas and research discussed at the congress and encapsulates the approaches that were being applied in plant proteomics.

Proteomics refers to the entire complement of proteins, including modification. This promising discipline has enabled us to study proteins from a massive and comprehensive point of view. The book Recent Advances in Proteomics Research describes in five sections some of the applications of proteomics. This fine research has been written by leading experts worldwide. This book is aimed mainly at those interested in proteins and in the field of proteins, particularly biochemists, biologists, pharmacists, advanced graduate students and postgraduate researchers.

Secretomics describes the global study of proteins that are secreted by a cell, a tissue or an organism, and has recently emerged as a field for which interest is rapidly growing. The term secretome was first coined at the turn of the millennium and was defined to comprise not only the native secreted proteins released into the extracellular space but also the components of machineries for protein secretion. Two secretory pathways have been described in fungi: i) the canonical pathway through which proteins bearing a N-terminal peptide signal can traverse the endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi apparatus, and ii) the unconventional pathway for proteins lacking a peptide signal. Protein secretion systems are more diverse in bacteria, in which types I to VII pathways as well as Sec or two-arginine (Tat) pathways have been described. In oomycete species, effectors are mostly small proteins containing an N-terminal signal peptide for secretion and additional C-terminal motifs such as RXLRs and CRNs for host targeting. It has recently been shown that oomycetes exploit non-conventional secretion mechanisms to transfer certain proteins to the extracellular environment. Other non-classical secretion systems involved in plant-fugal interaction include extracellular vesicles (EVs, Figure 1 from Samuel et al 2016 Front. Plant Sci. 6:766.). The versatility of oomycetes, fungi and bacteria allows them to associate with plants in many ways depending on whether they are biotroph, hemibiotroph, necrotroph, or saprotroph. When interacting with a live organism, a microbe will invade its plant host and manipulate its metabolisms either detrimentally if it is a pathogen or beneficially if it is a symbiote. Deciphering secretomes became a crucial biological question when an increasing body of evidence indicated that secreted proteins were the main effectors initiating interactions, whether of pathogenic or symbiotic nature, between microbes and their plant hosts. Secretomics may help to contribute to the global food security and to the ecosystem sustainability by addressing issues in i) plant biosecurity, with the design of crops resistant to pathogens, ii) crop yield enhancement, for example driven by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi helping plant hosts utilise phosphate from the soil hence increase biomass, and iii) renewable energy, through the identification of microbial enzymes able to augment the bio-conversion of plant lignocellulosic materials for the production of second generation biofuels that do not compete with food production. To this day, more than a hundred secretomics studies have been published on all taxa and the number of publications is increasing steadily. Secretory pathways have been described in various species of microbes and/or their plant hosts, yet the functions of proteins secreted outside the cell remain to be fully grasped. This Research Topic aims at discussing how secretomics can assist the scientists in gaining knowledge about the mechanisms underpinning plant-microbe interactions.

The ability to control the rates of metabolic processes in response to changes in the internal or external environment is an indispensable attribute of living cells that must have arisen with life’s origin. This adaptability is necessary for conserving the stability of the intracellular environment which is, in turn, essential for maintaining an efficient functional state. The advent of genomics, proteomics, and metabolomics has revolutionised the study of plant development and is now having a significant impact on the study of plant metabolism and its control. In the last few years, significant advances have been made, with the elucidation of enzyme gene families and the identification of new proteinaceous and allosteric regulators. The first part of this volume is devoted to generic aspects of metabolic control, with chapters on the key control points in pathways. Part Two considers the control of specific pathways, with detailed descriptions (including structures) and discussions of the regulation of these pathways, particularly in terms of the enzymology. The book is directed at researchers and professionals in plant biochemistry, physiology, molecular biology and cell biology.

This book caters to the need of researchers working in the ever-evolving field of agricultural biotechnology. It discusses and provides in-depth information about latest advancements happening in this field. The book discusses evolution of plant tissue culture techniques, development of doubled haploids technology, role of recombinant-DNA technology in crop improvement. It also provides an insight into the global status of genetically modified crops, use of RNAi technology and mi-RNAs in plant improvement. Chapters are also dedicated for different branches of ‘omics’ science including genomics, bioinformatics, proteomics, metabolomics and phenomics along with the use of molecular markers in tagging and mapping of various genes/QTLs of agronomic importance. This book also covers the role of enzymes and microbes in agriculture in productivity enhancement. It is of interest to teachers, researchers of biotechnology and agriculture scientists. Also the book serves as additional reading material for undergraduate and postgraduate students of biotechnology, agriculture, horticulture, forestry, ecology, soil science, and environmental sciences. National and international biotechnologists and agricultural scientists will also find this to be a useful read.

Integrative omics of plants in response to stress conditions play more crucial roles in the post-genomic era. High-quality genomic data provide more deeper understanding of how plants to survive under environmental stresses. This book is focused on concluding the recent progress in the Protein and Proteome Atlas in plants under different stresses. It covers various aspects of plant protein ranging from agricultural proteomics, structure and function of proteins, and approaches for protein identification and quantification. A total of 27 papers including two timely reviews have contributed to this Special Issue. In the first part with the topic of “Comparative Proteomics of Different Plants”, six papers were included to describe the phenotypic changes and proteomic analyses of different plants under different conditions. Then, another six papers with the topic of “Proteomics of Plants under Osmotic Stress” were included to describe the recent comparative proteomics analyses of plants under osmotic stress, particularly the drought and salinity stresses in leaves of certain plant species. The other proteomics studies on several energy plants and economic crops were reported to demonstrate the recent omics studies on different plants during their development processes. More stress responsive genes and proteins in these plants were identified. These target genes and proteins are important candidates for further functional validation in economic plants and crops.

This book presents an inclusive approach to deal with plant stresses in light of recent technological advances. As we have entered into a new decade, researchers and scientists should review and evaluate the recent findings in the field of plant stress management and visualize what we need to focus upon in the near future to increase crop yield. Above all, global climate changes present the greatest challenges of all time for plant scientists. In this context, the book highlights the recent findings and future perspectives in crop improvement to the faculties, scientists, research scholars, and postgraduate students. Major features of the book include an inclusive approach in understanding the mechanism of stress tolerance; recent advances and innovations in the field of allied disciplines like microbiology, molecular biology, biotechnology, plant breeding, nanobiotechnology, etc., for improving plant stress tolerance; and illustrative sketches to convey the mechanism and strategies of stress alleviation.