Plant Modifications Research Articles

Melatonin-mediated physio-biochemical, and ultrastructural modifications in tomato plants to foster drought stress tolerance

Melatonin-mediated physio-biochemical, and ultrastructural modifications in tomato plants to foster drought stress tolerance

Analytical approach in designing PID controller for complex fractional order transfer function

The study focuses on the fractional complex order plant model, which has gained popularity in applied mathematics, physics, and control systems. A significant contribution of this research lies in discussing the physical phenomena associated with complex plant models and their impact on system stability and robustness. The main purpose of the method presented in this paper is to tune the controller parameters to ensure the stability and robustness of the system. There are methods presented in the literature for this purpose. One of these methods is to keep the phase curve in the system frequency response flat within a certain range. However, this process is based on equating the derivative of the phase value to zero at a certain frequency and adds great mathematical complexity to the calculations. In this study, reliable analytical formulas are presented for the same purpose using a graphical approach. Since the fractional complex order plant model represents the most general mathematical form, it enables easy creation of other plant models, including integer order and fractional order plant. The reason why this plant is chosen is that this structure can be named as the universal plant, which all other structures can be built by making little variations. For instance, a transfer function having integer, real and/or complex number coefficients and/or orders can be obtained by proper determination of the parameters of the universal plant. A time delay can also be added towards researcher's desire. The main inspiration comes from studying on an inclusive plant. The method in this paper intends to tune the well‐known classical Proportional Integral Derivative controller. Thus, effectiveness of the integer order controller on various plants will be shown. This approach provides analytical calculation equations for the physical modifications of plants with integer, fractional, and/or complex coefficients and/or orders. The effectiveness of the method is demonstrated visually with different examples that include these different possible situations. The results observed in the changes of the parameters in the transfer functions were also examined. Thus, pros and cons of the variations of integer, fractional, and complex numbers on system parameters have been shown.

CRISPR-Cas9: Revolutionizing Crop Resistance Enhancemement

Abstract. The security of food has grown to be a serious concern in recent years, due to factors such as environmental changes, pest infestations affecting crop yields and food safety. Traditional breeding methods, such as hybrid breeding, often involve long cycles, consuming substantial human and material resources and constrained by germplasm limitations, significantly hindering the rapid development of animal and plant breeding. In contrast, CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing technology allows precise modification of genetic information inanimals and plants at the molecular level, directly optimizing target traits or imparting new genetic characteristics, demonstrating more direct and efficient breeding advantages compared to traditional methods. The implementation and advancement of the CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing system to increase plant and animal resilience is the main topic of this review, which also discusses its drawbacks and potential applications.

Water Deprivation and Sowing Times Alter Plant-Pollination Interactions and Seed Yield in Sunflower, Helianthus annuus L. (Asteraceae).

Climate change effects, including temperature extremes and water stress, cause abiotic stress in plants. These changes directly affect flowering and the flower reward system for pollinators, influencing plant-pollinator interactions and ultimately seed production in flowering plants. Here, we tested the effects of water deprivation on the behavior of various pollinator species, plant-pollinator interactions, and the seed yield of sunflower, Helianthus annuus L. (Asteraceae). Sunflower was sown during four different months (January-April) and subjected to two different water availability levels (well-watered and water-deprived). Pollinator abundance was recorded five times a day (8:00 am, 10:00 am, 12:00 pm, 2:00 pm, and 4:00 pm) from flower heads and the florets. In addition, foraging behavior was also recorded. We found that lowest abundance, visit duration, and visitation rate occurred in April-sown sunflower. The European honey bee Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae) was the most abundant visitor to sunflower, the hover fly Eristalinus aeneus (Diptera: Syrphidae) exhibited the longest visit duration, while Xylocopa sp. (Hymenoptera: Apidae) exhibited the highest visitation rate. The visitation rate of bees was significantly affected by water stress, with more bee visits occurring under well-watered conditions. Additionally, plant parameters, including flower head diameter, head weight, seed number, and seed weight, were significantly lower in the water-deprived treatments in April-sown sunflower. Open flowers without the pollination exclusion cages showed a higher yield, indicating the pollination dependence of sunflower. In conclusion, the plant modifications induced by sowing months and water-deprived conditions may alter pollinator behavior and may ultimately affect sunflower yield.

The Multifaceted Ubiquitination of BIK1 During Plant Immunity in Arabidopsis thaliana.

As sessile organisms, the plant immune system plays a vital role in protecting plants from the widespread pathogens in the environment. The Arabidopsis thaliana (Arabidopsis) receptor-like cytoplasmic kinase BOTRYTIS-INDUCED KINASE1 (BIK1) acts as a central regulator during plant immunity. As such, not only the BIK1 protein accumulation but also the attenuation is tightly regulated to ensure effective immune responses. Recent studies have highlighted the critical roles of ubiquitination in maintaining BIK1 homeostasis. Here, we review the latest advances in the ubiquitination of BIK1 in plant immunity, which is mediated by ubiquitin ligases PUB25/26, RHA3A/B, RGLG1/2, and PUB4. Additionally, we summarize and discuss the sites and types of BIK1 ubiquitination. Collectively, these analyses not only illustrate that the differential modifications on BIK1 by multiple ubiquitin ligases hold a crucial position in plant immunity but also provide a good example for future studies on ubiquitin-mediated modifications in plants.

Comprehensive analysis of biochemical compounds, chemical elements and metabolites modifications in maize plants infected with maize rayado fino virus (MRFV)

Maize cultivation is crucial worldwide, especially in Latin America. However, diseases related to corn stunt complex have significantly impacted crops, reducing grain productivity and quality. Maize rayado fino virus (MRFV) is part of this complex, and its symptom is characterized by chlorotic dots along veins and, depending on maize genotype, there will be stunting and an impact on the corn cob development, which can lead to productivity losses. However, this intricate plant-pathogen relationship is yet not well understood. Here, we investigated the effects of MRFV transmitted by the corn leafhopper Dalbulus maidis in infected plants in their early stage of development. To show the impact of the viral infection in the maize plant, we performed biochemical and chemical analysis and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). The total set of analyses showed that changes in chemical and biochemical compounds, as well as in metabolites composition and activities, can be perceived in MRFV-infected maize plants when compared to healthy plants. An increase in the activity of superoxide dismutase, catalase, peroxidase, and β-glucanase was detected, whereas small changes have been identified in antioxidant activity and phenolic compounds. For chemical components, unique changes were observed, mainly the increase in the presence of some elements such as calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), sodium (Na), and iron (Fe). We identified 20 metabolites of the amino acids, organic compounds, and carbohydrates classes in maize plants which are regulated during MRFV infection. Maize plants reacted to D. maidis herbivory by modulating both enzymatic and non-enzymatic activities, as well as chemical compounds. This research offers insights into the responses of maize against MRFV and sheds light on parameters to be used on the search of rayado fino viral disease resistance for a sustainable production.

Industrialization of PEM electrolyzer production: Development of a digital image as a tool for energy system planning

The European Union's energy system is to be decarbonized with the help of green hydrogen, among other technologies. This requires a significant reduction in the manufacturing costs of PEM electrolyzers. Achieving this goal requires industrialization of PEM electrolyzer production, which is currently still manufactory like, while simultaneously ensuring energy-efficient production. While previous literature has focused on the automated manufacturing process of PEM electrolysis stacks, this paper addresses the issue of energy efficiency in series manufacturing. It describes the structure of a digital image of a stack factory and offers solutions for energy system planning based on simulation results. This digital image serves as an innovative tool for plant expansion and modification planning. Our findings suggest that using digital images facilitates the identification of energy drivers, enables flexible energy consumption, and provides concepts for decentralized energy supply, thereby marking an essential step towards sustainable and cost-effective series production.

Structural characteristics and antioxidant activity of binary compounds formed by covalent modification of plant derived recombinant lactoferrin (OsrhLF) with four typical carbohydrates

Lactoferrin is crucial for the mammalian immune system, but the extraction of bovine lactoferrin (bLF) is low, and human lactoferrin in breast milk is costly. Although there are some reports on heterologous expression of lactoferrin, limited knowledge is available. In this study, structural characteristics and antioxidant activity of binary compounds formed by covalent modification of plant derived recombinant human lactoferrin (OsrhLF) with four typical carbohydrates including sodium alginate (SA), maltodextrin (Mal), pectin (Pec), and lactose (Lac). Results indicated that the structure of both bLF and OsrhLF unfolded, with side chain lysine or terminal amino acids forming CN bonds with aldehydes, altering their structure and improving stability and hydrophilicity. Compared with OsrhLF, the thermal denaturation temperatures of H-OsrhLF-Mal and H-OsrhLF-Lac increased by 56.8 °C and 58.4 °C, respectively. OsrhLF exhibited superior surface hydrophilicity and thermal stability compared to bLF, with Mal showing the most significant effect, aiding future functional food applications.

Agricultural legacy shapes plant diversity patterns in mountain grasslands of Maramureș and Bukovina: A cross‐border perspective (Ukraine, Romania)

Abstract We investigated farming practices and grassland plant diversity patterns in the historical regions of Maramureș and Bukovina, located in the central Eastern Carpathians of Romania and Ukraine. We explored the influence of social and historical factors on recent grassland plant diversity, including changes and modifications in land use and grassland management practices. We used stratified random sampling to select 48 grassland parcels in eight villages on the Ukrainian‐Romanian borderlands. We identified the factors that affect the composition and diversity of grassland vascular plants and bryophytes at multiple spatial scales and compared the frequency and timing of historical and recent grassland management practices to distinguish between preserved and modified agricultural traditions. In most of the grassland parcels studied (83% in Romania and 78% in Ukraine), traditional land use persisted. Local plant species richness was primarily influenced by management practices, outweighing the impact of topography and soil factors. Regular mowing at appropriate intensity increased the richness of vascular plants, while grazing promoted the richness of bryophyte species. Modifications to farming systems, observed in all studied villages, were mainly due to declining population and livestock numbers. Although the timing of spring and autumn grazing in hay meadows still adhered to tradition, mowing schedules shifted earlier, especially for the first cut of two‐cut hay meadows. Traditional corralling, fertilization and hayseed application have become rare or discontinued in certain villages, while controlled burning has increased. Past use of mineral fertilizers in Ukrainian villages during the Soviet era influenced the recent diversity and composition of vascular plant species, favouring nutrient‐demanding species. Social factors and agricultural policies indirectly affect biodiversity in semi‐natural grasslands, leaving a tangible footprint even in the most remote areas of the Carpathian Mountains. We provide basic recommendations to preserve the remarkable biodiversity of the region. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

Reading m6A marks in mRNA: A potent mechanism of gene regulation in plants.

Modifications to RNA have recently been recognized as a pivotal regulator of gene expression in living organisms. More than 170 chemical modifications have been identified in RNAs, with N6-methyladenosine (m6A) being the most abundant modification in eukaryotic mRNAs. The addition and removal of m6A marks are catalyzed by methyltransferases (referred to as "writers") and demethylases (referred to as "erasers"), respectively. In addition, the m6A marks in mRNAs are recognized and interpreted by m6A-binding proteins (referred to as "readers"), which regulate the fate of mRNAs, including stability, splicing, transport, and translation. Therefore, exploring the mechanism underlying the m6A reader-mediated modulation of RNA metabolism is essential for a much deeper understanding of the epigenetic role of RNA modification in plants. Recent discoveries have improved our understanding of the functions of m6A readers in plant growth and development, stress response, and disease resistance. This review highlights the latest developments in m6A reader research, emphasizing the diverse RNA-binding domains crucial for m6A reader function and the biological and cellular roles of m6A readers in the plant response to developmental and environmental signals. Moreover, we propose and discuss the potential future research directions and challenges in identifying novel m6A readers and elucidating the cellular and mechanistic role of m6A readers in plants.

MultiGreen: A multiplexing architecture for GreenGate cloning.

Genetic modification of plants fundamentally relies upon customized vector designs. The ever-increasing complexity of transgenic constructs has led to increased adoption of modular cloning systems for their ease of use, cost effectiveness, and rapid prototyping. GreenGate is a modular cloning system catered specifically to designing bespoke, single transcriptional unit vectors for plant transformation-which is also its greatest flaw. MultiGreen seeks to address GreenGate's limitations while maintaining the syntax of the original GreenGate kit. The primary limitations MultiGreen addresses are 1) multiplexing in series, 2) multiplexing in parallel, and 3) repeated cycling of transcriptional unit assembly through binary intermediates. MultiGreen efficiently concatenates bespoke transcriptional units using an additional suite of level 1acceptor vectors which serve as an assembly point for individual transcriptional units prior to final, level 2, condensation of multiple transcriptional units. Assembly with MultiGreen level 1 vectors scales at a maximal rate of 2*⌈log6n⌉+3 days per assembly, where n represents the number of transcriptional units. Further, MultiGreen level 1 acceptor vectors are binary vectors and can be used directly for plant transformation to further maximize prototyping speed. MultiGreen is a 1:1 expansion of the original GreenGate architecture's grammar and has been demonstrated to efficiently assemble plasmids with multiple transcriptional units. MultiGreen has been validated by using a truncated violacein operon from Chromobacterium violaceum in bacteria and by deconstructing the RUBY reporter for in planta functional validation. MultiGreen currently supports many of our in-house multi transcriptional unit assemblies and will be a valuable strategy for more complex cloning projects.

Study on the effects of accident-tolerant fuels on the safety of CPR1000 nuclear power plants

Abstract In this paper, CPR1000 Nuclear power plant was taken as the reference unit. According to CPR1000 Probabilistic Safety Analysis (PSA), the Large Break loss of coolant accident (LOCA), Medium Break LOCA, Small Break LOCA, Station Blackout (SBO), Total Loss of Feed water (TLOFW) and Anticipated transient without trip (ATWT) with Loss of Main Feed water (LOMF) were selected as the representative accident scenarios. The house holding deterministic programs LOCUST were used to analyze each of the above selected scenarios for five different accident tolerant fuels (ATF). The effects on accident process, reactor core damage time, system success criteria and personnel response time were analyzed under the above scenarios. The above results for the five ATF materials were compared to those for standard UO2-Zr in the same scenarios, then some useful conclusions were obtained which can be used to support ATF material selection. In the end, based on the deterministic calculations, the effects of different ATF materials on CPR1000 PSA results such as core damage frequency (CDF) were evaluated in detail with traditional PSA software Risk Spectrum. According to the results, ATFs have some advantages on core damage time, success criteria or operators’ action time window. But the CDF was changed little compared to standard UO2-Zr system. Through the studies, it is found the most important thing is that due to the much longer time windows some new plant modifications can be provided to mitigate the accidents which can contribute to the plant safety and decrease risk more.

The knockout of SlMTC impacts tomato seed size and reduces resistance to salt stress in tomato

Members of the MT-A70 family are key catalytic proteins involved in m6A methylation modifications in plants. They play diverse roles at the posttranscriptional level by regulating RNA secondary structure, selective splicing, stability, and translational efficiency, which collectively affect plant growth, development, and stress responses. In this study, we explored the function of the gene SlMTC, a Class C member of the MT-A70 family, in tomatoes by using CRISPR/Cas9 technology. Compared with the wild-type (WT), the CR-slmtc mutants exhibited decreased seed size and slower growth rates during the seedling stage, along with weaker salt tolerance and significant downregulation of stress-related genes, such as PR1, PR5, and P5CS. The qRT-PCR results revealed that the expression levels of genes involved in auxin biosynthesis (FZY1, FZY3, and FZY4) and polar transport (PIN1, PIN4, and PIN8) were lower in CR-slmtc plants than in the WT plants. In addition, yeast two-hybrid assays showed that SlMTC could interact with SlMTA, a Class A member of the MT-A70 family, providing insights into the potential mode of action of SlMTC in tomatoes. Overall, our findings indicate the critical role of SlMTC in plant growth and development as well as in response to salt stress.

Methyltransferase ATMETTL5 writes m6A on 18S ribosomal RNA to regulate translation in Arabidopsis.

Aberrant RNA modifications can lead to dysregulated gene expression and impeded growth in plants. Ribosomal RNA (rRNA) constitutes a substantial portion of total RNA, while the precise functions and molecular mechanisms underlying rRNA modifications in plants remain largely elusive. Here, we elucidated the exclusive occurrence of the canonical RNA modification N6-methyladenosine (m6A) solely 18S rRNA, but not 25S rRNA. We identified a completely uncharacterized protein, ATMETTL5, as an Arabidopsis m6A methyltransferase responsible for installing m6A methylation at the 1771 site of the 18S rRNA. ATMETTL5 is ubiquitously expressed and localized in both nucleus and cytoplasm, mediating rRNA m6A methylation. Mechanistically, the loss of ATMETTL5-mediated methylation results in attenuated translation. Furthermore, we uncovered the role of ATMETTL5-mediated methylation in coordinating blue light-mediated hypocotyl growth by regulating the translation of blue light-related messenger RNAs (mRNAs), specifically HYH and PRR9. Our findings provide mechanistic insights into how rRNA modification regulates ribosome function in mRNA translation and the response to blue light, thereby advancing our understanding of the role of epigenetic modifications in precisely regulating mRNA translation in plants.

Evolution and post-transcriptional regulation insights of m6A writers, erasers, and readers in plant epitranscriptome.

As a dynamic and reversible post-transcriptional marker, N6-methyladenosine (m6A) plays an important role in the regulation of biological functions, which are mediated by m6A pathway components including writers (MT-A70, FIP37, VIR and HAKAI family), erasers (ALKBH family) and readers (YTH family). There is an urgent need for a comprehensive analysis of m6A pathway components across species at evolutionary levels. In this study, we identified 4062 m6A pathway components from 154 plant species including green algae, utilizing large-scale phylogenetic to explore their origin and evolution. We discovered that the copy number of writers was conserved among different plant lineages, with notable expansions in the ALKBH and YTH families. Synteny network analysis revealed conserved genomic contexts and lineage-specific transpositions. Furthermore, we used Direct RNA Sequencing (DRS) to reveal the Poly(A) length (PAL) and m6A ratio profiles in six angiosperms species, with a particular focus on the m6A pathway components. The ECT1/2-Poeaece4 sub-branches (YTH family) with unique genomic contexts exhibited significantly higher expression level than genes of other ECT1/2 poeaece sub-branches (ECT1/2-Poeaece1-3), accompanied by lower m6A modification and PAL. Besides, conserved m6A sites distributed in CDS and 3'UTR were detected in the ECT1/2-Poaceae4, and the dual-luciferase assay further demonstrated that these conserved m6A sites in the 3'UTR negatively regulated the expression of Firefly luciferase (LUC) gene. Finally, we developed transcription factor regulatory networks for m6A pathway components, using yeast one-hybrid assay demonstrated that PheBPC1 could interact with the PheECT1/2-5 promoter. Overall, this study presents a comprehensive evolutionary and functional analysis of m6A pathway components and their modifications in plants, providing a valuable resource for future functional analysis in this field.

The Biology, Epidemiology, Host Variability and Management of Sorghum Smut Diseases in Nigeria: A Review

Sorghum Smut diseases in Nigeria are widely circulated and are economically important in most of the regions of the country growing Sorghum. Perhaps, all the four types of smut can co-exist on the same field and are co-extensive with sorghum cultivation. The four smut diseases are incited by four species belonging to two genera of the order ustilaginales, namely; Sporisorium or Sphacelotheca and Tolyposporium. The distribution of the four smut diseases depend on several interacting factors of epidemiology and pathogenesis. It has been reported that all the four species that causes smuts in sorghum have narrow host range. As a consequence therefore, they do not vary remarkably in their biology and pathogenesis. However, their severity, distribution and prevalence depend on the environmental conditions, seasons and variety of sorghum. Several control as well as management strategies have been suggested by workers for the prevention and control of sorghum smuts including the pre-sowing seed treatment using fungicides, the use of resistant plant variety and modification of cultural and handling practices. However, only few of these measures have been found suitable and promising. Moreover, there is scarce of scientific information on the incidence of sorghum smuts probably because they were thought to have been eradicated or that they are economically less important in most sorghum growing areas in Nigeria. But with the current climatic changes coupled with the negligence from the poor resource sorghum farmers, sorghum smut diseases are re-emerging with high threshold as such they are becoming very important in Nigeria’s sorghum growing regions. This paper reviews the epidemiology, biology and variability of smut pathogens and their possible control strategies.

Exploring the prospects of deep natural gas resources from the geochemical parameters of the Shahejie Formation source rocks in the Banqiao depression

Deep natural gas is an important field and direction for oil and gas exploration and development in the Banqiao depression. The geochemical characteristics of the Paleogene Shahejie Formation source rocks in the Banqiao Sag were investigated based on pyrolysis, Total Organic Carbon (TOC), chloroform bitumen A, vitrinite reflectance, saturated hydrocarbon gas chromatography–mass spectrometry, and maceral determination. The results showed that the Es3 source rocks of the Paleogene Shahejie Formation were generally of better quality than the Es1 source rocks. Regarding the Es1 source rocks, the abundance of organic matter was variable, with mixed types and low maturity. The source rocks were formed in a saline-water reductive environment. Regarding the Es3 source rocks, the abundance of organic matter was relatively high, meaning that they were of medium–high quality, with mixed types of, yet highly mature, organic matter. The hydrocarbon generation environment was oxidative, and the source rocks were mainly deposited in fresh water with localized salinization. The main hydrocarbon-generating components of organic matter in the Shahejie Formation were amorphous humic components formed by intensive microbial modification of lower planktonic algae and terrestrial higher plants. Aquatic organisms were the main sources of organic matter, with localized mixing of higher-plant organic matter. The organic matter derived from these higher plant debris sources provided beneficial conditions for the generation of natural gas. At present, the Shasan source rock is at the peak of hydrocarbon generation. Under deep conditions, the maturity of organic matter increases, and organic matter rich in terrestrial higher plants can make a significant contribution to the generation of natural gas, especially shale gas.

Exploration of Thiamin thiazole synthase (THI4) Expression and Transcriptomes Involved in the Floral Volatiles of Caladium bicolor

4-methyl-5-vinylthiazole (MVT) is a significant volatile of caladium (Caladium bicolor) which produces a very high level of thiamin thiazole synthase (THI4) in male flowers. We explored transcriptomes upregulating MVT using RNA-seq during the six developmental stages of the male flower (Day−10 to Day0) in C. bicolor ‘Tapestry’. THI4 was the highest transcript throughout the male flower development. Additionally, the genes showing the high expression associated with floral volatiles of caladium on Day0 were trans-resveratrol di-O-methyltransferase (ROMT), chalcone synthase (CHS), 3-ketoacyl-CoA thiolase 2 (KAT2), and linalool synthase (TPS). These four genes correspond to the following elevated volatiles of caladium: 1,3,5-trimethoxybenzene, MVT, indole, methyl salicylate, and linalool on Day0 compared to Day−10. The upstream THI4 gene was cloned to drive a fluorescent gene (ZsGreen1) in transient and stable transgenic petunia and tobacco plants, showing the gene expression only in the male tissue. The tissue-specific expression of the caladium THI4 promoter could benefit crop production with minimal modification of plants. Investigating transcriptomes associated with caladium fragrance can help provide insight into understanding the regulatory mechanisms of floral volatiles of caladium.

Methylation Modification in Ornamental Plants: Impact on Floral Aroma and Color.

Methylation represents a crucial class of modification that orchestrates a spectrum of regulatory roles in plants, impacting ornamental characteristics, growth, development, and responses to abiotic stress. The establishment and maintenance of methylation involve the coordinated actions of multiple regulatory factors. Methyltransferases play a pivotal role by specifically recognizing and methylating targeted sites, which induces alterations in chromatin structure and gene expression, subsequently influencing the release of volatile aromatic substances and the accumulation of pigments in plant petals. In this paper, we review the regulatory mechanisms of methylation modification reactions and their effects on the changes in aromatic substances and pigments in plant petals. We also explore the potential of methylation modifications to unravel the regulatory mechanisms underlying aroma and color in plant petals. This aims to further elucidate the synthesis, metabolism, and regulatory mechanisms of various methylation modifications related to the aroma and color substances in plant petals, thereby providing a theoretical reference for improving the aroma and color of plant petals.

Detection, distribution, and functions of RNA N 6-methyladenosine (m6A) in plant development and environmental signal responses.

The epitranscriptomic mark N 6-methyladenosine (m6A) is the most common type of messenger RNA (mRNA) post-transcriptional modification in eukaryotes. With the discovery of the demethylase FTO (FAT MASS AND OBESITY-ASSOCIATED PROTEIN) in Homo Sapiens, this modification has been proven to be dynamically reversible. With technological advances, research on m6A modification in plants also rapidly developed. m6A modification is widely distributed in plants, which is usually enriched near the stop codons and 3'-UTRs, and has conserved modification sequences. The related proteins of m6A modification mainly consist of three components: methyltransferases (writers), demethylases (erasers), and reading proteins (readers). m6A modification mainly regulates the growth and development of plants by modulating the RNA metabolic processes and playing an important role in their responses to environmental signals. In this review, we briefly outline the development of m6A modification detection techniques; comparatively analyze the distribution characteristics of m6A in plants; summarize the methyltransferases, demethylases, and binding proteins related to m6A; elaborate on how m6A modification functions in plant growth, development, and response to environmental signals; and provide a summary and outlook on the research of m6A in plants.