“…This TF family is associated with a few other pleiotropic roles, like regulating stress tolerance via expression of genes involved in abiotic stress response, disease resistance and ethylene/jasmonic acid/salicylic acid response (Cui et al, 2016; Guo et al, 2016). Based on the number of AP2/ERF DNA binding domains they possess, the AP2/ERF family is further classified into four subfamilies, namely ERF, DREB (one AP2/ERF domain); AP2 (two AP2/ERF domains) and RAV (one AP2 and an additional B3 DNA binding domain; Licausi et al, 2013; Guo et al, 2016; Huang Z. et al, 2016). The ERF subfamily in Arabidopsis is regulated either via a phytohormone dependent (like Ethylene, JA, ABA, auxin, cytokinin and SA; Guo and Ecker, 2004; Arora, 2005; Cheng et al, 2013; Dey and Vlot, 2015) or independent manner ( via Ethylene Insensitive or EIN genes, stress like wounding, etc., Guo and Ecker, 2004; Arora, 2005; Dey and Vlot, 2015).…”