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Molecular Advances in Understanding Plant-Microbe Interactions
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Molecular Advances in Understanding Plant-Microbe Interactions

A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Plant Sciences".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 January 2026 | Viewed by 2824

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Tomislav Radić

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute for Adriatic Crops and Karst Reclamation, Put Duilova 11, 21 000 Split, Croatia
Interests: mycorrhizal symbiosis; plant-microbe interactions; plant virology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Katarina Hančević

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute for Adriatic Crops and Karst Reclamation, Put Duilova 11, 21000 Split, Croatia
Interests: plant virology; plant-microbe interactions; mycorrhizal symbiosis
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Plant–microbe interactions are essential for plant growth, development, and defence. Molecular advances in plant–microbe interactions have significantly enhanced our understanding of the complex biochemical, genetic, and ecological processes that underpin these relationships. From the genetic basis of symbiosis to the molecular mechanisms of pathogen resistance and microbial community dynamics, these insights open new possibilities for improving crop productivity, disease resistance, and environmental sustainability. Papers which shed a light on the molecular background of plant–microbe symbiosis, pathogenesis and plant immunity, and microbial signalling, as well microbiome-based interactions, will be suitable for submission to this Special Issue. With this Special Issue, we would like to explore the complex molecular dialogue between plants and microbes, providing further opportunities for innovation in agriculture and environmental management.

Dr. Tomislav Radić
Dr. Katarina Hančević
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. International Journal of Molecular Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. There is an Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal. For details about the APC please see here. 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

  • phytomicrobiome
  • symbiosis
  • pathogen resistance
  • microbial signalling

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

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12 pages, 2135 KB  
Article
Development of Yellow Rust-Resistant and High-Yielding Bread Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Lines Using Marker-Assisted Backcrossing Strategies
by Bekhruz O. Ochilov, Khurshid S. Turakulov, Sodir K. Meliev, Fazliddin A. Melikuziev, Ilkham S. Aytenov, Sojida M. Murodova, Gavkhar O. Khalillaeva, Bakhodir Kh. Chinikulov, Laylo A. Azimova, Alisher M. Urinov, Ozod S. Turaev, Fakhriddin N. Kushanov, Ilkhom B. Salakhutdinov, Jinbiao Ma, Muhammad Awais and Tohir A. Bozorov
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26(15), 7603; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26157603 - 6 Aug 2025
Viewed by 1494
Abstract
The fungal pathogen Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici, which causes yellow rust disease, poses a significant economic threat to wheat production not only in Uzbekistan but also globally, leading to substantial reductions in grain yield. This study aimed to develop yellow rust-resistance [...] Read more.
The fungal pathogen Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici, which causes yellow rust disease, poses a significant economic threat to wheat production not only in Uzbekistan but also globally, leading to substantial reductions in grain yield. This study aimed to develop yellow rust-resistance wheat lines by introgressing Yr10 and Yr15 genes into high-yielding cultivar Grom using the marker-assisted backcrossing (MABC) method. Grom was crossed with donor genotypes Yr10/6*Avocet S and Yr15/6*Avocet S, resulting in the development of F1 generations. In the following years, the F1 hybrids were advanced to the BC2F1 and BC2F2 generations using the MABC approach. Foreground and background selection using microsatellite markers (Xpsp3000 and Barc008) were employed to identify homozygous Yr10- and Yr15-containing genotypes. The resulting BC2F2 lines, designated as Grom-Yr10 and Grom-Yr15, retained key agronomic traits of the recurrent parent cv. Grom, such as spike length (13.0–11.9 cm) and spike weight (3.23–2.92 g). Under artificial infection conditions, the selected lines showed complete resistance to yellow rust (infection type 0). The most promising BC2F2 plants were subsequently advanced to homozygous BC2F3 lines harboring the introgressed resistance genes through marker-assisted selection. This study demonstrates the effectiveness of integrating molecular marker-assisted selection with conventional breeding methods to enhance disease resistance while preserving high-yielding traits. The newly developed lines offer valuable material for future wheat improvement and contribute to sustainable agriculture and food security. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Advances in Understanding Plant-Microbe Interactions)
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Review

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23 pages, 3286 KB  
Review
Towards Understanding the Factors Shaping the Composition and Function of the Noccaea Microbiome in Metal-Contaminated Environments
by Marjana Regvar, Valentina Bočaj, Jure Mravlje, Teja Pelko, Matevž Likar, Paula Pongrac and Katarina Vogel-Mikuš
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26(17), 8748; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26178748 - 8 Sep 2025
Viewed by 846
Abstract
Noccaea species (formerly Thlaspi) are Brassicaceae plants renowned for their capacity to hyperaccumulate zinc (Zn), cadmium (Cd), and nickel (Ni), which has made them model systems in studies of metal tolerance, phytoremediation, and plant adaptation to extreme environments. While their physiological and [...] Read more.
Noccaea species (formerly Thlaspi) are Brassicaceae plants renowned for their capacity to hyperaccumulate zinc (Zn), cadmium (Cd), and nickel (Ni), which has made them model systems in studies of metal tolerance, phytoremediation, and plant adaptation to extreme environments. While their physiological and genetic responses to metal stress are relatively well characterised, the extent to which these traits influence microbiome composition and function remains largely unexplored. These species possess compact genomes shaped by ancient whole-genome duplications and rearrangements, and such genomic traits may influence microbial recruitment through changes in secondary metabolism, elemental composition, and tissue architecture. Here, we synthesise the current findings on how genome size, metal hyperaccumulation, structural adaptations, and glucosinolate diversity affect microbial communities in Noccaea roots and leaves. We review evidence from bioimaging, molecular profiling, and physiological studies, highlighting interactions with bacteria and fungi adapted to metalliferous soils. At present, the leaf microbiome of Noccaea species remains underexplored. Analyses of root microbiome, however, reveal a consistent taxonomic core dominated by Actinobacteria and Proteobacteria among bacterial communities and Ascomycetes, predominantly Dothideomycetes and Leotiomycetes among fungi. Collectively, these findings suggest that metal-adapted microbes provide several plant-beneficial functions, including metal detoxification, nutrient cycling, growth promotion, and enhanced metal extraction in association with dark septate endophytes. By contrast, the status of mycorrhizal associations in Noccaea remains debated and unresolved, although evidence points to functional colonisation by selected fungal taxa. These insights indicate that multiple plant traits interact to shape microbiome assembly and activity in Noccaea species. Understanding these dynamics offers new perspectives on plant–microbe co-adaptation, ecological resilience, and the optimisation of microbiome-assisted strategies for sustainable phytoremediation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Advances in Understanding Plant-Microbe Interactions)
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