Guide to Plant Single-Cell Technology: Functional Genomics and Crop Improvement

Guide to Plant Single-Cell Technology: Functional Genomics and Crop Improvement summarizes the current status of single-cell technology in plants involving food and energy crops. Presenting methods and applications of emerging high-throughput technologies performed using the single-cell platform it includes an emphasis on single-cell RNA sequencing and eventually towards single-cell omics, which are highly complementary and effective for profiling the plant cell subject to either environmental factors or pathogenic threats. These technologies can advance the exploration of plant physiology as well as precision crop breeding for future anti-stress and high-yield plants and achieve sustainable agriculture.

The book covers crop improvement and breeding strategies involving single-cell technology to produce future stress-tolerant and high-yield plants, which have better performances on growth, and development to achieve enhanced production of foods and biomass.

Guide to Plant Single-Cell Technology: Functional Genomics and Crop Improvement will be a valuable reference resource for academics and researchers in plant and crop sciences.

• Focuses on plant molecular profiling using single-cell technology and the integration with functional genomics
• Discusses the current methods and challenges of single-cell RNA sequencing in plants
• Summarizes the emerging findings of plant single-cell technology
• Presents advanced high-throughput technologies for plant omics

Jen-Tsung Chen is a Professor of Cell Biology at the National University of Kaohsiung in Taiwan, where he teaches cell biology, genomics, proteomics, plant physiology, and plant biotechnology. His research spans bioactive compounds, chromatography techniques, plant molecular biology, bioinformatics, systems pharmacology, and broader themes in biotechnological plant disease management, plant biotic stress responses, nanotechnology for combating pests and pathogens, ethnopharmacology, and systems biology. An active scholar, Dr. Chen serves on the editorial boards of several international journals and has guest‑edited numerous special issues. He has also authored and edited books with major international publishers on topics including drug discovery, herbal medicine, medicinal biotechnology, nanotechnology, bioengineering, plant functional genomics, plant speed breeding, CRISPR‑based genome editing, and artificial intelligence. Recognized for his scientific impact and editorial leadership, Dr. Chen was listed among Elsevier and Stanford University’s “World’s Top 2% Scientists” in 2023 and 2024 and received the Springer Nature Editor of Distinction Award in 2025.