Plant Protection and Biotic Interactions
A section of Plants (ISSN 2223-7747).
Section Information
Almost all plants are affected by plant diseases, insects, mites, weeds, and other pest organisms. Plants also live in association with a diverse range of nonpathogenic microorganisms that can impact plant fitness. The Plant Protection and Biotic Interactions section aims to increase our knowledge of plant interactions with pathogenic, beneficial symbiotic and nonsymbiotic microorganisms, arthropod pests, and weed species. Research articles using interdisciplinary approaches to unravel complex mechanisms underlying plant interactions with other organisms or to study novel strategies for plant pest management are welcomed. Aside from these biological interaction areas, the section also focuses on disease and pest reports, diagnostics, and management, always taking into account the plant point of view. The section also welcomes papers on all aspects of plant pathology, entomology, and weed science, especially studies which show how these organisms affect the plant.
Keywords
- Plant–microbe interactions
- Plant pathogenic fungi, oomycota, bacteria, viruses
- Plant disease epidemiology
- Diagnosis of plant disease
- Plant parasitic nematology
- Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria
- Mycorrhizal fungi symbiosis
- Entomology
- Acarology
- Forest pathology
- Molecular plant–arthropod interactions
- Chemical ecology of plant–arthropod interactions
- Integrated pest management
- Soil-borne pathogens and arthropods
- Insect–plant–microbe interactions
- Insect vectors of plant diseases
- Weed science
- Weed ecology
- Plant microbiome
- Integrated weed management
- Plant protection chemicals
- Beneficial microbes
- Herbicide resistance
- Biological control
- Plant immunity
- Induced resistance
- Plant biotic stress
- Plant defenses
- Elicitors
- Impact of abiotic stress on plant–microbe interaction
Editorial Board
Topical Advisory Panel
Special Issues
Following special issues within this section are currently open for submissions:
- Innate Immunity and Stress Responses in Plants: Mechanisms and Resilience (Deadline: 30 March 2026)
- Plant–Rhizosphere Interactions (Deadline: 31 March 2026)
- Biocontrol Agents for Sustainable Plant Disease Management (Deadline: 31 March 2026)
- Biochemical and Genetic Regulation of Specialized Metabolism in Plant-Associated Microbes (Deadline: 20 April 2026)
- Advances in Plant–Fungal Pathogen Interaction—2nd Edition (Deadline: 20 April 2026)
- Sustainable Strategies for Managing Plant Diseases, 2nd Edition (Deadline: 20 April 2026)
- Plant Biology and Sustainable Weed Management (Deadline: 30 April 2026)
- Plant Chemical Ecology—2nd Edition (Deadline: 30 April 2026)
- Biocontrol of Toxicogenic Fungi in Vegetables Through the Use of Antagonistic Microorganisms (Deadline: 30 April 2026)
- Integrated Pest Management of Field Crops (Deadline: 30 April 2026)
- Plant Defense Mechanisms Against Pathogens: Signaling Pathways, Genetic Foundations, and Biotechnological Innovations (Deadline: 30 April 2026)
- Interactions Between Plants and Beneficial Microorganisms (Deadline: 30 April 2026)
- Advances in Sustainable Weed Management in Crop Production (Deadline: 30 April 2026)
- Plant Interactions with Both Beneficial and Pathogenic Microorganisms (Deadline: 30 April 2026)
- Molecular Pathways in Plant Immunity and Protection Against Stress (Deadline: 31 May 2026)
- Silicon in Sustainable Agriculture: Facing Abiotic and Biotic Stress in Crops (Deadline: 31 May 2026)
- Plant-Derived Bioinsecticides: Mechanisms of Action and Pest Control Applications (Deadline: 31 May 2026)
- Strategies for Sustainable, Innovative, and AI-Based Crop Pest Management (Deadline: 10 June 2026)
- Biotechnological Advances in Biopesticides for Integrated Pest Management (Deadline: 30 June 2026)
- Molecular Mechanisms of Plant Non-Host Immunity (Deadline: 30 June 2026)
- Translating Ecological Research into Biological Control Strategies (Deadline: 30 June 2026)
- Mechanisms of Herbicide Resistance in Weeds—2nd Edition (Deadline: 30 June 2026)
- The Application of Nanotechnology in Crop Protection and Management (Deadline: 30 June 2026)
- Florivory: The Ecology and Evolution of Flower Predation (Deadline: 30 June 2026)
- Contribution of Plant Growth-Promoting Microorganisms (PGPMs/PGPR) to Plant Growth and Development (Deadline: 30 June 2026)
- Integrated Management of Plant Pathogens (Deadline: 30 June 2026)
- Plant Immunity and Disease Resistance Mechanisms (Deadline: 30 June 2026)
- Diagnostics and Monitoring of Plant Diseases (Deadline: 30 June 2026)
- Molecular Mechanisms of Interactions Between Pathogenic Fungi and Host Plants (Deadline: 30 June 2026)
- Strategies for Sustainable Innovative Crop Pest Management (Deadline: 20 July 2026)
- Plant Protection: Advances in Disease Detection, Diagnosis and Management (Deadline: 20 July 2026)
- Sustainable Disease Management in Tropical Crops (Deadline: 30 July 2026)
- Plant–Microorganism Interactions (Deadline: 31 July 2026)
- Plant Microbiome Manipulation: Advances and Applications (Deadline: 31 July 2026)
- Integrating Plant Immunity and Ecological Strategies for Sustainable Disease Management (Deadline: 31 July 2026)
- Solidifying the Foundation of IPM with Agroecology and Biological Control (Deadline: 31 July 2026)
- Functional Plants for Ecological Control of Agricultural Pests (Deadline: 31 July 2026)
- Role of Beneficial Bacteria in Plant Growth and Health Promotion (Deadline: 31 July 2026)
- Selected Papers from the 1st International Electronic Conference on Plant Protection (Deadline: 31 July 2026)
- Biological Control of Agricultural and Forestry Plant Diseases (Deadline: 31 July 2026)
- Plant Viruses, Viroids and Phytoplasmas: Insight into Evolutionary, Pathogenicity, and Epidemiology Studies—2nd Edition (Deadline: 31 July 2026)
- Integrated Pest Management—from Chemicals to Green Management—2nd Edition (Deadline: 31 August 2026)
- Biological Control of Phytopathogen-Associated Plant Diseases (Deadline: 31 August 2026)
- New Advancements in Plant–Microbes Interactions (Deadline: 31 August 2026)
- Peanut–Microbe Interactions for Sustainable Cultivation (Deadline: 31 August 2026)
- Innovative Strategies for Managing Soilborne Pathogens and Enhancing Plant Health in Arable Crops (Deadline: 31 August 2026)
- Allelopathy: From Plant–Plant to Plant–Microbe Interactions (Deadline: 31 August 2026)
- Crosstalk Between Abiotic Stress and Pathogen Defense in Cereal Crops: Molecular and Redox Regulation (Deadline: 15 September 2026)
- Plant Diseases as Sentinels of Global Change: From Molecular Signals to Agroecosystem Resilience (Deadline: 20 September 2026)
- Plant Immunity and Disease in Response to Fungal and Oomycete Pathogens (Deadline: 30 September 2026)
- AI and Smart Technologies in Weed Control and Crop Protection (Deadline: 30 September 2026)
- Essential Oils for Pest and Disease Management: From Chemistry to Application (Deadline: 30 September 2026)
- Advances in Citrus Genetics, Physiology, and Disease Management (Deadline: 30 September 2026)
- Diagnosis and Management of Plant Fungal Diseases (Deadline: 30 September 2026)
- Plant Virus–Host Interactions: Molecular Mechanisms and Crop Protection (Deadline: 30 September 2026)
- Reactive Oxygen Species and Antioxidant Networks in Plant–Pathogen Interactions (Deadline: 30 September 2026)
- Plant Virology and Disease Management in Crops (Deadline: 30 September 2026)
- Fungal–Plant Interactions: From Symbiosis to Pathogenesis (Deadline: 30 September 2026)
- Sustainable Alternatives to Synthetic Fungicides: Natural and Biological Control of Fungal Plant Pathogens (Deadline: 30 September 2026)
- Plant–Microbe Interactions Under Stress: Exploring Defence Mechanisms, Microbial Diversity, and Resilience (Deadline: 30 September 2026)
- Plant-Associated Microbiomes Under Combined Stresses: Insights on Pathogen Interactions and Environmental Factors (Deadline: 10 October 2026)
- Microorganisms for Improving Plant Resilience and Soil Health (Deadline: 30 October 2026)
- Biochemical Mechanisms of Plant Resistance to Herbivorous Nematodes (Deadline: 30 October 2026)
- Plant–Pathogen Interactions in Cereal Crops (Deadline: 31 October 2026)
- Insect Frass Fertilisers for Plant Growth, Development, and Stress Tolerance (Deadline: 31 October 2026)
- Weed Management and Control in Paddy Fields (Deadline: 31 October 2026)
- Plant–Endophyte Interactions and Bioactive Metabolites for Sustainable Crop Management (Deadline: 10 November 2026)
- Integrated Green Strategies for Crop Protection (Deadline: 30 November 2026)
- Plant–Fungi and Plant–Associated Microorganism Interactions: Molecular Mechanisms, Ecology, and Applications (Deadline: 30 November 2026)
- Biological Control: Insect-Plant Interactions for Sustainable Pest Management (Deadline: 10 December 2026)
- Host Adaptation Mechanisms of Forest Pests (Deadline: 31 December 2026)
- Plant–Insect Interactions—3rd Edition (Deadline: 31 December 2026)
- Advances in Weed Control and Management (Deadline: 31 December 2026)
- Bio-Control of Plant Pathogens and Pests (Deadline: 31 December 2026)
Topical Collections
Following topical collections within this section are currently open for submissions:
