Application of Molecular Genetic Tools for Forest Pathology

Dear Colleagues,

In recent years, molecular genetic methods for studying and understanding plant health, plant–pathogen interactions, and plant diseases have been successfully established. The involvement of molecular genetics in plant pathology aims to improve our understanding of dynamic interactions among various biotic and abiotic components, develop new methods for forest tree pathogen protection, and develop effective disease management strategies. New molecular genetic methods find application in both pests and pathogen diagnostics, control and management activities. In the field of diagnostics, several molecular genetic methods are available for identifying different pest/pathogen species and pathogen strains, as well as their evolutionary relationships. The identification of pests and pathogens using molecular methods, such as PCR and DNA sequencing, is commonly used to identify the specific pests and pathogens causing damage and disease in a tree. Phylogenetic analyses are implemented to study evolutionary relationships among different pests and pathogen species and thus offer information about disease outbreaks and spread. In the field of pests and pathogen control, the identification of genetic markers associated with tree resistance provides information that can be used in breeding programs for disease-resistant trees. In this way, the development of more effective strategies for controlling pests and plant diseases is possible. Moreover, identifying natural antagonists of pests and pathogens by using molecular genetic methods (e.g., meta-barcoding) offers new possibilities for biological control. This Special Issue provides a comprehensive overview of the latest developments in the application of molecular genetics in forest pathology. It aims to highlight advances in the use of molecular genetic tools (barcoding/meta-barcoding, next-generation sequencing, phylogenetic analysis) in forest pathology, covering topics such as disease diagnostics, pests and pathogen detection and diversity, host–pathogen interactions, and disease management.

Dr. Nevenka Ćelepirović
Dr. Sanja Novak-Agbaba
Dr. Aikaterini Dounavi
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 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

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-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Forests 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.