Abstract

Key message This article summarizes advances in cold tolerance, particularly the signaling pathways of cold genes in E. globulus. Eucalyptus globulus is one of the most important hardwood species used for pulp and paper production worldwide, but its productivity is limited by cold temperatures which affect their optimal development and distribution. Several plants increase their freezing tolerance in response to low temperatures pre-conditioning, this mechanism known as cold acclimation, is a result of a combination of physiological, biochemical and metabolic changes which depend on transcriptome modifications. This review explores the current knowledge about responses of E. globulus under cold stress, focusing in the first section on the physiological damage caused by cold stress in this species, whereas the second part deals with how perception of cold temperature can regulate the induction of cold acclimation, and finally, focusing on the molecular response systems involved in the cold response, to synthesize our understanding of the complex response to cold stress in E. globulus.