Interactions between Fungi and Plant Parasitic Nematodes

Dear Colleagues,

Fungi and nematodes have crucial roles in maintaining ecosystem stability and nutrient cycling. Plants can be influenced by the complex interplay among these associated organisms. They can interact in multiple ways, either directly or indirectly, influencing survival and reproduction, or antagonistically, causing damage and managing population increases. Understanding the dynamics of nematode interaction with fungi has been focused on host-finding mechanisms of fungus-feeding nematodes, or detection of nematophagous fungi associated to specific plant parasitic nematodes. These interactions are specific and intricate, as they depend on various biotic and abiotic factors. Nematode and microbial community structure, biodiversity, and abundance can impact the direction and magnitude of fungal-nematode interactions, as well as accentuate or decrease plant susceptibility to pests and diseases. Therefore, studies of microbe-nematode interrelationships have significant practical implications. This Special Issue aims to provide an overview of recent advances in the fields of nematology, mycology, plant pathology, and plant health. By exploring biotic interactions, this Special Issue contributes to a deeper understanding of the complex relationships between fungi and nematodes towards plant health, and their applications in sustainable agriculture and plant protection.

Potential topics include, but are not limited to:

• Attraction and repulsion dynamics;
• Chemosensation, communicators, signal pathways, and receptors;
• The influence of environmental factors on fungal-nematode interactions;
• Host specificity and selectivity in fungal-nematode interactions;
• Application of omics technologies to study fungal-nematode interactions;
• The role of fungal-nematode interactions in the development of plant diseases;
• Fungal nematicidal potential in nematode management strategies;
• Ecological impacts of fungal-nematode interactions in soil ecosystems;
• Future perspectives for biological control in agriculture.

Dr. Jorge M. S. Faria
Guest Editor
Dr. Ana Fundurulic
Guest Editor Assistant

Manuscript Submission Information

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• plant parasitic nematodes
• microbial community dynamics
• fungi-nematode interactions
• microbial ecology
• biological control
• sustainable ecosystems
• pest management
• plant protection