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Updated: Nov 6, 2025

Identification of Novel Regulators of Plant Transpiration by Large-Scale Thermal Imaging Screening in Helianthus Annuus
Published on: January 30, 2020
Plant thermotropism: an underexplored thermal engagement and avoidance strategy
Martijn van Zanten1, Haiyue Ai2, Marcel Quint2
1Martijn van Zanten, Molecular Plant Physiology, Institute of Environmental Biology, Utrecht University. Padualaan 8, 3584CH Utrecht, the Netherlands.
Abstract:
Various strategies evolved in plants to adjust the position of organs relative to the prevailing temperature condition, which allows optimal plant growth and performance. Such responses are classically separated into nastic and tropic responses. During plant thermotropic responses, organs move towards (engage) or away (avoid) from a directional temperature cue. Despite thermotropism being a classic botanical concept, the underlying ecological function and molecular and biophysical mechanisms remain poorly understood to this day. This contrasts to the relatively well-studied thermonastic movements (hyponasty) of e.g., rosette leaves. In this review, we provide an update on the current knowledge on plant thermotropisms and propose directions for future research and application.
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