Beneficial Plant–Microbe Interactions Under a Climate Change Scenario

Dear Colleagues,

Under natural conditions, plants are continuously interacting with a range of microbial species during all stages of the lifecycle, and they cohabit with microbes, including bacteria, fungi, protists, nematodes, and viruses, which colonize all accessible plant tissues and, together, are referred to as microbiota. Global climate change has brought about new and complicated challenges for sustainable agriculture and the need to maintain food production for an ever-increasing human population. To combat these challenges, the use of beneficial microorganisms has been proposed, since these can help plants to control soil-borne diseases, maintain soil structure, and provide nutrients and natural resources to plants. Beneficial plant–microbe interactions include plant growth promotion, protection against biotic and abiotic stresses through the priming of the plant immune system or induction of plant defense pathways, adaptation to a variable environment, nutrient uptake, and the conversion of unavailable nutrient forms into plant-accessible forms. These plant–microbe interactions are crucial in sustainable agriculture for food production and environmental health. Understanding the intimate mechanisms of plant–microbe interactions and their engineering for suitable application in sustainable agriculture is the most appropriate way to meet the world food demand in the future. Examples of beneficial plant–microbe interactions include, but are not limited to, the following: Nitrogen-fixing bacteria, which are universally potent bioinoculants used to promote plant growth. Phosphate-solubilizing bacteria are also extremely important, as they have been reported to increase P uptake by converting insoluble to soluble forms. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, which form symbiotic associations with most terrestrial plants and are mainly responsible for the uptake of phosphorus, other nutrients, and water. Azospirillum and Azotobacter are two important bacteria that frequently increase yields. Cyanobacteria also significantly contribute to the nitrogen economy of sustainable agriculture. Future studies should address important questions, such as the following: How do plants and microbes communicate with each other? Which plant genes allow crops to shape the rhizosphere microbiota? What are the effects of microbes on the host plant? How do these plant–microbe interactions evolve under multiple climate change scenarios?

Dr. Juan Manuel Ruiz Lozano
Guest Editor

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