Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
7.7
4.2
Journals
Microorganisms
Special Issues
Biological Control of Microbial Pathogens in Plants
share announcement

Biological Control of Microbial Pathogens in Plants

A special issue of Microorganisms (ISSN 2076-2607). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant Microbe Interactions".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 January 2026 | Viewed by 669

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Leandro Simões Azeredo Gonçalves

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Agronomy Department, Universidade Estadual de Londrina (UEL), Londrina, Brazil
Interests: genetic; plant pathology; abiotic stresses in crops; development of biological products for agriculture

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The biological control of plant pathogens has emerged as a key strategy for more sustainable agriculture by reducing reliance on chemical pesticides and mitigating their negative impacts on the environment and human health. Microorganisms such as Bacillus spp., Pseudomonas spp., Streptomyces spp., and Trichoderma spp. have gained prominence in managing plant diseases and pests due to their ability to act through direct mechanisms, such as the production of antimicrobial metabolites, hydrolytic enzymes, and mycoparasitism, as well as indirect mechanisms, including the induction of systemic resistance in plants and the promotion of plant growth. In recent years, advances in applied research, technological development, and product formulation have led to more effective, stable, and field-adapted bioinputs, fostering their adoption in integrated disease management programs. This scenario reflects a global trend of rapid expansion in the biopesticide market, driven by growing demand for safe, innovative agricultural solutions that align with the principles of regenerative agriculture.

Prof. Dr. Leandro Simões Azeredo Gonçalves
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 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-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Microorganisms 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 2700 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.

Keywords

  • biological control
  • microbial pathogens
  • plant diseases
  • biopesticides
  • sustainable agriculture

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (2 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

13 pages, 3723 KB  
Article
Chromatin Remodeler TaSWI3D Controls Wheat Susceptibility to Pathogenic Fungus Blumeria graminis forma specialis tritici
by Yixian Fu, Wanzhen Chen, Mengdi Zhang, Xiaoyu Wang and Cheng Chang
Microorganisms 2025, 13(12), 2779; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms13122779 - 6 Dec 2025
Viewed by 159
Abstract
Pathogenic fungus Blumeria graminisforma specialistritici (B.g. tritici) is the causal agent of the devastating wheat powdery mildew disease. Identifying the key regulators governing wheat susceptibility to the B.g. tritici pathogen is essential for developing wheat varieties with improved powdery [...] Read more.
Pathogenic fungus Blumeria graminisforma specialistritici (B.g. tritici) is the causal agent of the devastating wheat powdery mildew disease. Identifying the key regulators governing wheat susceptibility to the B.g. tritici pathogen is essential for developing wheat varieties with improved powdery mildew resistance. In this study, we demonstrated that the wheat chromatin remodeler TaSWI3D positively regulates wheat susceptibility to B.g. tritici. Overexpression of TaSWI3D gene attenuates wheat resistance against B.g. tritici, while silencing of TaSWI3D gene potentiates wheat powdery mildew resistance. TaSWI3D protein was found to be enriched at the promoter regions of the TaSARD1 gene encoding the salicylic acid (SA) biosynthesis activator, and silencing of TaSWI3D resulted in decreased nucleosome occupancy at the TaSARD1 promoter regions. Activated TaSARD1 transcription and increased SA accumulation were observed in the TaSWI3D-silenced wheat plants. Silencing of TaSARD1 and the SA biosynthesis gene TaICS1 resulted in attenuated SA biosynthesis and decreased powdery mildew resistance in the TaSWI3D-silenced wheat plants. These findings support that the chromatin remodeler TaSWI3D maintains epigenetic suppression of the SA biosynthesis activator gene TaSARD1 and negatively regulates SA biosynthesis, thereby positively contributing to wheat powdery mildew susceptibility. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biological Control of Microbial Pathogens in Plants)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

27 pages, 23727 KB  
Article
Isolation and Genome-Based Characterization of Bacillus velezensis AN6 for Its Biocontrol Potential Against Multiple Plant Pathogens
by Liping Yang, Anyu Gu, Wei Deng, Shu Che, Jianhua Zhang, Jinwen Zhang, Limei Kui, Jian Tu, Wei Dong, Hua An, Junjiao Guan, Jiaqin Fan, Xiqiong Shen and Xiaolin Li
Microorganisms 2025, 13(12), 2701; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms13122701 - 27 Nov 2025
Viewed by 367
Abstract
Biological control is an effective and environmentally friendly strategy for managing plant diseases. In this study, a broad-spectrum antagonistic bacterium, designated strain AN6, was isolated from rice plants and exhibited potent inhibitory activity against a variety of phytopathogens. In Oxford cup assays, AN6 [...] Read more.
Biological control is an effective and environmentally friendly strategy for managing plant diseases. In this study, a broad-spectrum antagonistic bacterium, designated strain AN6, was isolated from rice plants and exhibited potent inhibitory activity against a variety of phytopathogens. In Oxford cup assays, AN6 suppressed the growth of Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo) by 73.60%, and its cell-free culture filtrate caused pronounced morphological deformation in the bacterial cells. Further in vitro assays, including dual-culture assays, volatile organic compound (VOC) assays, and cell-free supernatant (CFS) assays, demonstrated that AN6 also exerted strong antifungal effects against several pathogenic fungi. In addition, the strain was found to produce proteases and siderophores, which may contribute to its antagonistic capabilities. Taxonomic identification based on morphological traits, 16S rRNA and gyrA gene sequencing, average nucleotide identity (ANI), in silico DNA–DNA hybridization (isDDH), and phylogenetic analysis classified strain AN6 as Bacillus velezensis. Whole-genome sequencing revealed that AN6 harbors a 3,929,788 bp genome comprising 4025 protein-coding genes with a GC content of 46.50%. Thirteen biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) associated with the production of secondary metabolites—such as nonribosomal peptides, polyketides, and dipeptide antibiotics—were identified. The pot experiment further validated the biocontrol potential of AN6, achieving an 80.49% reduction in rice bacterial blight caused by Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae. Collectively, these results indicate that B. velezensis AN6 is a promising candidate for development as a highly effective biocontrol agent for the integrated management of diverse plant diseases. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biological Control of Microbial Pathogens in Plants)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-2
Back to TopTop