Abstract

Research on cell walls has received increased attention in recent decades, showing that there are few physiological processes in which cell wall modifications do not play a crucial role. Moreover, the characteristics of cell walls determine the quality of crop plants and the value of the products obtained from them. An important part of this research has been carried out with model plants, but another part has been conducted on crop plants, to the extent that some of them have become true model plants. This Special Issue brings together five contributions (four research articles and one review) illustrating successful cases of cell wall research in crop plants. These investigations focus on (a) the relationship between the biosynthesis of ascorbic acid and the monosaccharides mannose and galactose and thus diverse cell wall components; the role of the cell wall-associated phenolic acids in multiple physiological processes, (b) specifically by reviewing the contribution of ferulic acid incorporation (feruolylation) in cell wall stiffening, and thus in numerous functions, as well as (c) the connection of p-coumaric acid in plant defence (in particular of maize stems to corn borers). The last two contributions focus on (d) cell wall modifications throughout different ripening stages (using two strawberry varieties with contrasting properties in fruit firmness), and (e) the relationship between graft failure and the deposition of cell wall defence compounds, such as suberin, lignin and callose, using tomato grafts as a model. These articles open the door to further research in this exciting field concerning the impact of cell walls on crop science.