Summary
Plant biology encompasses the study of structure, function, growth and interactions of green multicellular organisms that dominate terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems. At its core are processes that convert sunlight, water, carbon dioxide and nutrients into biomass and energy through photosynthesis, transport, respiration and metabolism. Cellular organisation—from cell walls and membranes to chloroplasts and vacuoles—underpins nutrient uptake, ion transport, intercellular signalling and resilience to environmental stress. Hormonal networks integrate external cues such as light, water availability and temperature to regulate development from the embryo through organogenesis, flowering and seed formation. Genetic and epigenetic mechanisms guide cell fate decisions, tissue patterning and adaptation, while secondary metabolites mediate defence, symbiosis and communication. Recent advances in imaging, genomics, gene editing and synthetic biology are providing detailed maps of molecular pathways and regulatory circuits, with direct applications in crop improvement, ecosystem management and sustainable production of food, feed and high-value compounds.
Research from Nature Portfolio
Defects in three closely related receptor-like kinases in Arabidopsis roots have been shown to compromise cell-wall deposition and alter hydrotropic bending, revealing a trade-off between the capacity to sense moisture gradients and tolerance to osmotic stress. A ratiometric biosensor built on engineered DELLA proteins has enabled live mapping of gibberellin responses in the shoot apical meristem, uncovering that cells predestined to form internodes display the highest GA activity and that gibberellin influences the orientation of cell division planes. At the metabolic level, the plastidic methylerythritol phosphate pathway has been redefined as an oxidative-stress sensor: accumulation of its intermediate MEcDP under elevated reactive-oxygen species triggers antioxidant signalling and redirects flux to balance stress resilience with terpenoid biosynthesis.
Topic trend for the past 5 years
The graph below shows the article count in Nature Index journals for plant biology.
* The ‘Current Index’ represents data for a 12-month rolling window, the current window is 1 May 2025 - 30 April 2026.
Technical terms
Hydrotropism: Directional growth of plant roots towards regions of higher water potential.
Receptor-like kinase (RLK): Membrane-anchored enzyme that perceives extracellular signals and activates intracellular phosphorylation cascades.
Ratiometric biosensor: A fusion reporter whose fluorescent ratio provides a quantitative read-out of local signalling molecule concentration or activity.
Methylerythritol cyclodiphosphate (MEcDP): An intermediate of the plastidic non-mevalonate pathway that accumulates under oxidative stress and functions as a signal to adjust metabolic flux.
Aquaporin: A membrane channel protein facilitating selective transport of water and small solutes across biological membranes.
Nanodomain: A plasma-membrane subregion enriched in specific lipids and proteins that compartmentalises signalling events.
Pectin methylesterification: An enzymatic modification of pectin in the plant cell wall that influences wall stiffness and cell expansion.
Notable articles in plant biology
- Defects in the cell wall and its deposition caused by loss-of-function of three RLKs alter root hydrotropism in Arabidopsis thaliana. Nature Communications (2024).
- Single-molecule analysis reveals the phosphorylation of FLS2 governs its spatiotemporal dynamics and immunity. eLife (2024).
- A quantitative gibberellin signaling biosensor reveals a role for gibberellins in internode specification at the shoot apical meristem. Nature Communications (2024).
- The methylerythritol phosphate pathway as an oxidative stress sense and response system. Nature Communications (2024).
About these summaries
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Research
Position of Plant Biology in Nature Index by Count
Leading institutions
| Institution | Count | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) | 161 | 60.73 |
| Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS) | 188 | 48.62 |
| China Agricultural University (CAU) | 87 | 39.11 |
| Northwest A&F University (NWAFU) | 45 | 24.71 |
| Nanjing Agricultural University (NAU) | 65 | 23.51 |
| Huazhong Agricultural University (HZAU) | 61 | 19.37 |
| Zhejiang University (ZJU) | 46 | 17.43 |
| Max Planck Society | 51 | 15.47 |
| University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS) | 86 | 13.72 |
| Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU) | 32 | 13.09 |
Collaboration
Top 5 leading collaborators in Plant Biology
Collaborating institutions
Note: Hover over the bars to view details about each institution's Share.
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