# Engineering resilient roses: molecular insights into biotic and abiotic stress adaptation

## TL;DR

This paper reviews how roses adapt to environmental and pathogen stresses at the molecular level and suggests ways to breed more resilient roses.

## Contribution

The paper provides a comprehensive synthesis of recent molecular insights and biotechnological strategies for improving rose resilience.

## Key findings

- Transcription factors like WRKY, NAC, MYB, and AP2/ERF regulate stress-responsive gene expression in roses.
- Epigenetic mechanisms and post-translational modifications contribute to stress memory and resilience in roses.
- CRISPR and other biotechnological tools offer promising methods for breeding stress-tolerant rose cultivars.

## Abstract

Rose (Rosa spp.) is a high-value ornamental plant cultivated worldwide for its aesthetic and commercial importance. However, rose production is frequently challenged by a wide range of biotic and abiotic stresses that impair growth, development, and floral quality, ultimately reducing the yield and economic returns. Recent advances have clarified the molecular pathways that govern stress responses in roses, with particular emphasis on transcriptional regulation, post-translational protein modifications, and epigenetic control. Transcription factors such as the WRKY, NAC, MYB, and AP2/ERF families regulate stress-responsive gene expression. Post-translational modifications, including phosphorylation and ubiquitination, together with epigenetic mechanisms such as DNA methylation and chromatin remodeling, establish molecular ‘stress memory’ and resilience. In response to biotic stress, roses defend against major pathogens, including black spot (Marssonina rosae), gray mold (Botrytis cinerea), and powdery mildew (Podosphaera pannosa) through integrated hormonal signaling and transcriptional regulation. Aphid herbivory triggers calcium fluxes, phosphorylation cascades, and the synthesis of secondary metabolites that strengthen defense. Emerging biotechnological tools, particularly genome editing using clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats/Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats/CRISPR-associated protein 9, marker-assisted selection, and virus-induced gene silencing, provide promising approaches for breeding rose cultivars with improved tolerance to environmental and pathogenic stresses. This review synthesizes recent advances in understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying both biotic and abiotic stress adaptation in roses and outlines strategies for developing resilient cultivars capable of maintaining productivity and ornamental value under adverse conditions.