Sexual reproduction is a crucial component of crop biology, significantly impacting genetic variation, crop fitness, and food security for humans. Climate change, marked by shifts in temperature and precipitation patterns as well as an increase in extreme weather events, poses serious challenges to the reproductive biology of crops. These environmental changes can interfere with gamete development, pollination, fertilization, and seed and fruit development, ultimately leading to reduced reproductive success and lower crop productivity.

As the effects of global climate change become more pronounced, the agricultural sector is confronted with unprecedented challenges that jeopardize food security and ecosystem stability. Consequently, understanding how climate change impacts crop sexual reproduction is increasingly vital. We are pleased to announce the launching of a special issue, seeking to explore the complex relationships between climate change and the reproductive development of plants. By focusing on this essential aspect of plant biology, we aim to enhance our understanding of how changing environmental conditions affect reproductive development, pollination dynamics, and seed and fruit development. Together, we can deepen our understanding of the intricate interactions between global climate change and crop sexual reproduction, fostering innovative solutions and strategies to enhance agricultural resilience and ensure food security in a rapidly changing world.

We invite contributions that explore a wide range of topics related to the effects of climate change on plant sexual reproduction. We particularly welcome studies that investigate the physiological, molecular, and ecological mechanisms underlying reproductive responses to climate stressors. Topics of interest for this special issue include, but are not limited to, the examination of genetic and epigenetic factors influenced by temperature extremes, drought, waterlogging, salinity, and elevated atmospheric CO₂ levels concerning:

l  Flowering time

l  Gamete development

l  Pollinator behavior

l  Fertilization success

l  Seed development, yield and/or quality

l  Fruit development, yield and/or quality

Guest Editors

Prof. Jian-Xiang Liu - Zhejiang University
His research interests focus on: (Protein homeostasis and Stress Biology)

Prof. Wenqiang Tang - Hebei Normal University,
His research interests focus on: Hormone Signaling and High temperature Signaling

Submission Deadline

The deadline for submitting manuscripts is December 31, 2025; however, we are open to considering extensions on a case-by-case basis. Accepted papers will be published as open-access articles.

Submission Instructions

To submit your full manuscript, kindly use the online submission system at Seed Biology (mc03.manuscriptcentral.com/seedbio). Additionally, please select a topic relevant to this Special Issue during submission and explicitly reference it in your cover letter. For any additional inquiries, please reach out to the Guest Editors:

Jian-Xiang Liu (jianxiangliu@zju.edu.cn)

Wenqiang Tang (tangwq@hebtu.edu.cn)