Plant-Microbe Interactions

Dear Colleagues,

Plant-associated microbiota can provide benefits to plant growth and health by influencing plant nutritional status, by positively affecting interaction with pathogens, and by modifying tolerance to abiotic (e.g., water deficit, nutrient limitation, salinity) and biotic (e.g., pests) stresses. Stimuli from pathogens, beneficial microorganisms, natural and synthetic compounds, as well as the presence of abiotic stress induce the activation in plants of a specific physiological state called “priming”, which is marked by an enhanced activation of induced defense responses. By priming, a plant prepares to more quickly or aggressively respond to subsequent biotic or abiotic stress, which results in increased resistance and/or stress tolerance. The use of root-associated microorganisms able to improve plant tolerance/resistance may be one of the new promising and sustainable strategies in agricultural systems, with a positive impact on food security and food safety in a scenario of climate change and scarcity of natural resources.

This Special Issue intends to cover the state-of-the-art and recent progress in different aspects related to the use of plant-associated microbes to increase the sustainability and resilience of crops in a wide range of cropping systems (grassland, horticultural crops, fruit trees) and in a scenario of environmental challenges due to climate change. All types of manuscripts (original research and reviews) providing new insights on the cellular and molecular aspects of plant-microbe interactions and on the application and benefits of the use of microbial inoculants in agriculture are welcome. 

Dr. Raffaella Maria Balestrini
Guest Editor

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