Research Progress on the Regulation of Plant Growth, Development and Stress Responses by Non-Coding RNAs

Abstract Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are a class of RNA molecules that lack protein-coding capacity but participate in various biological regulatory processes. They are widely present in diverse organisms. In recent years, advances in high-throughput sequencing technologies have enabled the discovery of a large number of ncRNAs, and their functions and underlying mechanisms are gradually being elucidated. Studies have shown that ncRNAs play important roles in plant growth and development, as well as in responses to abiotic and biotic stresses. However, a critical examination reveals that most current studies remain at the level of descriptive identification or correlative expression analysis; rigorous functional validation is available for only a subset of ncRNAs, primarily certain miRNAs. This review first briefly introduces the classification and basic characteristics of ncRNAs. It then examines their regulatory roles in key processes of plant growth and development, including seed dormancy and germination, root and leaf development, flower and fruit development, and fruit ripening with an emphasis on distinguishing established mechanisms from hypothetical models. Finally, it summarizes current knowledge on their functions in stress responses and identifies knowledge gaps that limit ecological extrapolation. This review aims to provide a critical assessment of the molecular regulatory networks involving ncRNAs in plants, thereby offering a realistic foundation for future translational applications in agriculture and forestry.