A review of mA modification in plant development and potential quality improvement.

N6-methyladenosine (mA) represents the most prevalent internal modification observed in eukaryotic mRNAs. As a pivotal regulator of gene expression, mA exerts influence over a number of processes, including splicing, transport, translation, degradation, and the stability of mRNAs. It thus plays a crucial role in plant development and resistance to biotic and abiotic stressors. The writers, erasers, and readers of mA, which deposit, eliminate and decode this modification, are also of critical importance and have been identified and characterized in multiple plant species. The advent of next-generation sequencing (NGS) and mA detection technologies has precipitated a surge in research on mA in recent years. Extensive research has elucidated the specific roles of mA in plants and its underlying molecular mechanisms, indicating significant potential for crop improvement. This review presents a comprehensive overview of recent studies on mA and its regulatory proteins in plant development and stress tolerance. It highlights the potential applications of this modification and its writers, erasers, and readers for plant improvement, with a particular focus on leaf development, floral transition, trichome morphogenesis, fruit ripening, and resilience to pests, diseases and abiotic stresses.