Dear Colleagues,

Plants are colonised by an extremely high number of organisms, which can reach cell density much greater than the number of cells in the plant itself. In addition, the number of genes of microorganisms inhabiting the rhizosphere significantly exceeds the number of plant genes. Plants act as a link between communities of microorganisms, insects, and other invertebrate and vertebrate animals occurring both above and below the soil surface. In the natural environment, abiotic and biotic factors have an indirect or direct impact on plants. The root system of a plant works like a factory that produces a huge amount of chemicals to communicate effectively with the microorganisms around it. At the same time, micro-organisms can use these compounds as an energy source. The variety of microorganisms associated with plant roots is enormous, amounting to tens of thousands of species. This complex microbial community, also called the second plant genome, is essential for plant health and productivity. Over the last few years, there has been significant progress in research into the structure and dynamics of the microbial sphere of the rhizosphere. It has been proven that plants shape the composition of microorganisms by synthesizing root secretions. On the other hand, microorganisms play a key role in the functioning of plants through their positive impact on their growth and development. In general, rhizosphere microorganisms promote plant growth directly by providing plants with minerals such as nitrogen and phosphorus and by synthesizing growth regulators, as well as indirectly, by inhibiting the development of various plant pathogens. Researchers use novel technologies including next-generation sequencing, the use of soil profiling and microprobes for genomics, transcriptomics and metabolomics studies to conduct informative studies in the soil rhizosphere, and the role of plants and microorganisms in these interactions.

This Special Issue intends to improve our understanding of the “Interaction between the Plant Rhizosphere and Soil Organisms”. Submissions could consist of research on topics including but not limited to:

• Diversity of soil microorganisms;
• Soil microorganisms in forest ecosystems;
• Rhizosphere diversity;
• Interaction between plants and their microbial communities;
• Functions of rhizosphere microorganisms;
• Microorganisms synthesizing plant growth regulators;
• Biological plant protection;
• Genetic diversity among soil microbial communities;
• Novel bioactive compound isolation and identification in plants and soil.

We would like to take this opportunity to welcome the submission of research articles, reviews, as well as technical notes and communications, on these related topics.

Prof. Dr. Anna Gałązka
Guest Editor

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.

• microbiome and mycobiome of soil and tree rhizosphere
• mycorrhizal fungi
• next-generation sequencing
• soil and tree biodiversity
• interaction between plants and microorganisms