The Influence of Environmental Factors on Plant-Pathogen Interactions

Dear Colleagues,

Plant–pathogen interactions are a complex and dynamic relationship that has long attracted scientific interest, especially because pathogens cause significant losses in agriculture and forestry. Traditionally, studies have focused on plant immunity, pathogen virulence, and the genetic basis of resistance. However, researchers are increasingly recognizing that environmental factors such as temperature, humidity, soil composition, and atmospheric changes profoundly affect these interactions. This Special Issue aims to explore the impact of diverse environmental factors on the molecular, biochemical, and ecological aspects of plant–pathogen interactions. It seeks to provide a comprehensive view of how abiotic factors, including temperature, humidity, soil properties, and CO₂ levels, affect pathogen development, plant immune responses, and disease progression. Furthermore, it will address how environmental variability contributes to the emergence of new disease patterns, offering insights into managing plant health in a changing world.

Recent research in this field has highlighted how even subtle shifts in environmental conditions can lead to significant changes in disease susceptibility and severity. Cutting-edge studies investigate the underlying mechanisms at play—such as how temperature fluctuations influence pathogen growth cycles, or how drought stress affects a plant's immune system. New technologies, including high-throughput sequencing, remote sensing, and advanced modelling, enable scientists to dissect these interactions at the molecular and ecosystem levels.

We are soliciting original research articles, reviews, and case studies that focus on the following:

• The effects of specific environmental factors (e.g., temperature, precipitation, soil nutrients) on plant–pathogen interactions;
• Mechanistic studies examining how plants and pathogens adapt to changing environments;
• The influence of global climate change on pathogen distribution and disease incidence;
• Field studies and experiments assessing how variable environmental conditions affect pathogen virulence and plant resilience;
• Technological approaches (e.g., remote sensing, bioinformatics) for studying plant–pathogen interactions in varying environmental contexts;
• Modelling and predictive studies on future plant disease trends under projected climate scenarios.

We encourage submissions from multiple disciplines, including plant pathology, molecular biology, ecology, and climate science, to ensure a holistic view of how environmental factors shape plant health in natural and agricultural settings.

Dr. Jiehua Qiu
Dr. Huangbin Shi
Dr. Caterina Morcia
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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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. Agronomy 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 2600 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.

• plant–pathogen interactions
• environmental factors
• plant health
• climate change