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Microorganisms
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The Effect of Soil Microbes on Plant Growth and Crop...
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The Effect of Soil Microbes on Plant Growth and Crop Protection

A special issue of Microorganisms (ISSN 2076-2607). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant Microbe Interactions".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2023) | Viewed by 2141

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Vanessa Nessner Kavamura

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Sustainable Soils and Crops, Rothamsted Research, Harpenden, UK
Interests: molecular biology; microbiology; agriculture
Dr. Rodrigo Gouvêa Taketani

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Sustainable Soils and Crops, Rothamsted Research, Harpenden, UK
Interests: soil microbes; soil microbial communities; plant growth; crop protection; agriculture

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Soil microbes play a pivotal role in shaping the dynamics of plant growth and crop protection, exerting important influences on agricultural ecosystems. This Special Issue promotes the publication of current research on the multifaceted interactions between soil microbes and plants that sheds light on their significance in agriculture and potential applications for sustainable crop production.

Historically, the symbiotic relationships between plants and beneficial soil microbes, such as mycorrhizal fungi and rhizobacteria, have been applied to crops. These microbial partners form intricate networks with plant roots, facilitating nutrient uptake and enhancing plant growth. Their involvement in nutrient cycling and the release of growth-promoting substances underscores their indispensable role in augmenting crop productivity.

Moreover, soil microbes have significant potential to sustain crop protection against pathogens and pests. Activating induced systemic resistance (ISR) and induced systemic acquired resistance (SAR) pathways with certain beneficial microbes fortifies plants' immune responses, enabling them to withstand infections. Additionally, producing antimicrobial compounds via soil microbes acts as a natural defense mechanism against a spectrum of plant pathogens, reducing their reliance on chemical pesticides.

Furthermore, this Special Issue explores soil microbial communities' effects on plant stress tolerance. Soil microbes have been shown to mitigate abiotic stresses, such as drought and salinity, through osmoprotection and hormonal regulation. As climate change continues to pose challenges to agriculture, understanding and harnessing the potential of soil microbes in stress alleviation becomes increasingly crucial for ensuring food security.

In conclusion, the influence of soil microbes on plant growth and crop protection is an intricate web of relationships that necessitates a comprehensive understanding for sustainable agricultural practices. Thus, we aim to promote and publish cutting-edge research on the role of microbes in the agricultural setting.  

Dr. Vanessa Nessner Kavamura
Dr. Rodrigo Gouvêa Taketani
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Microorganisms is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • soil microbes
  • soil microbial communities
  • plant growth
  • crop protection
  • agriculture

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

19 pages, 1389 KiB  
Article
Select Cover Crop Residue and Soil Microbiomes Contribute to Suppression of Fusarium Root and Crown Rot in Barley and Soybean
by Harini S. Aiyer, Andrew McKenzie-Gopsill, Aaron Mills and Adam John Foster
Microorganisms 2024, 12(2), 404; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms12020404 - 17 Feb 2024
Viewed by 833
Abstract
Fusarium root and crown rot (FRCR) negatively impact several economically important plant species. Cover crops host different soil and residue microbiomes, thereby potentially influencing pathogen load and disease severity. The carryover effect of cover crops on FRCR in barley and soybean was investigated. [...] Read more.
Fusarium root and crown rot (FRCR) negatively impact several economically important plant species. Cover crops host different soil and residue microbiomes, thereby potentially influencing pathogen load and disease severity. The carryover effect of cover crops on FRCR in barley and soybean was investigated. Field trials were conducted in Prince Edward Island, Canada. Two cover crops from each plant group, including forbs, brassicas, legumes, and grasses, were grown in a randomized complete block design with barley and soybean planted in split plots the following year. Barley and soybean roots were assessed for FRCR through visual disease rating and Fusarium spp. were isolated from diseased tissue. Fungal and bacterial communities in cover crop residues were quantified using amplicon sequencing. The disease-suppressive effects of soil were tested in greenhouse studies. The results indicated that sorghum-sudangrass-associated microbiomes suppress Fusarium spp., leading to reduced FRCR in both barley and soybean. The oilseed radish microbiome had the opposite effect, consequently increasing FRCR incidence in barley and soybean. The results from this study indicate that cover crop residue and the associated soil microbiome influence the incidence and severity of FRCR in subsequent crops. This information can be used to determine cover cropping strategies in barley and soybean production systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Effect of Soil Microbes on Plant Growth and Crop Protection)
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9 pages, 1049 KiB  
Communication
Field to Greenhouse: How Stable Is the Soil Microbiome after Removal from the Field?
by Priyanka Kushwaha, Ana L. Soto Velázquez, Colleen McMahan and Julia W. Neilson
Microorganisms 2024, 12(1), 110; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms12010110 - 5 Jan 2024
Viewed by 1020
Abstract
Plant-soil feedback (PSF) processes impact plant productivity and ecosystem function, but they are poorly understood because PSFs vary significantly with plant and soil type, plant growth stage, and environmental conditions. Controlled greenhouse studies are essential to unravel the mechanisms associating PSFs with plant [...] Read more.
Plant-soil feedback (PSF) processes impact plant productivity and ecosystem function, but they are poorly understood because PSFs vary significantly with plant and soil type, plant growth stage, and environmental conditions. Controlled greenhouse studies are essential to unravel the mechanisms associating PSFs with plant productivity; however, successful implementation of these controlled experiments is constrained by our understanding of the persistence of the soil microbiome during the transition from field to greenhouse. This study evaluates the preservation potential of a field soil microbiome when stored in the laboratory under field temperature and moisture levels. Soil microbial diversity, taxonomic composition, and functional potential were evaluated via amplicon sequencing at the start of storage (W0), week 3 (W3), week 6 (W6), and week 9 (W9) to determine the effect of storage time on soil microbiome integrity. Though microbial richness remained stable, Shannon diversity indices decreased significantly at W6 for bacteria/archaea and W3 for fungi. Bacterial/archaeal community composition also remained stable, whereas the fungal community changed significantly during the first 3 weeks. Functional predictions revealed increased capacity for chemoheterotrophy for bacteria/archaea and decreased relative proportions of arbuscular mycorrhizal and ectomycorrhizal fungi. We show that preservation of the field soil microbiome must be a fundamental component of experimental design. Either greenhouse experiments should be initiated within 3 weeks of field soil collection, or a preliminary incubation study should be conducted to determine the time and storage conditions required to sustain the integrity of the specific field soil microbiome being studied. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Effect of Soil Microbes on Plant Growth and Crop Protection)
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