The Role of VOCs in Communication Between Plants and Microorganisms on Metabolomics
A special issue of Metabolites (ISSN 2218-1989). This special issue belongs to the section "Microbiology and Ecological Metabolomics".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 April 2026 | Viewed by 56
Special Issue Editor
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
This Special Issue exploring the role of VOCs in communication between plants and microorganisms highlights the rapidly expanding field of volatilomics at the interface of chemical ecology, plant biology, and microbiology. VOCs are increasingly recognized as critical mediators of communication in complex ecosystems, shaping interactions that influence plant health, microbial communities, and environmental resilience. The contributions gathered here explore the diverse chemical roles of VOCs and their ecological functions, ranging from plant-emitted signalling molecules that modulate defence responses to microbial volatiles that enhance growth, nutrient uptake, stress tolerance, and direct defence against harmful organisms, as well as pathogen-derived volatiles that alter host metabolism and suppress plant immune responses. Emerging metabolomic technologies have enabled unprecedented insights into VOC diversity, biosynthetic pathways, and the dynamic nature of these interactions under changing environmental conditions. This Special Issue will illustrate both fundamental discoveries and applied perspectives, underscoring how VOC-based communication can be harnessed in sustainable agriculture and biocontrol strategies. By integrating metabolomics, analytical chemistry, genomics, and microbiology, this Special Issue provides a comprehensive overview of how plant–microbe interactions mediated by VOCs can contribute to ecosystem balance and crop productivity. We intend for it to serve as a valuable reference for researchers and foster further interdisciplinary dialogue on the roles of VOCs in shaping plant–microbe communication.
Dr. Valentina Lazazzara
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
- plant-microbe interaction
- sustainable agriculture
- plant signaling
- plant–pathogen interactions
- plant growth promotion
- microbial volatiles
- plant defense mechanisms
- biocontrol
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