Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
8.5
4.7
Journals
Plants
Special Issues
Forest Protection: Plant–Microbe Interactions, Risk Assessments, and Management Strategies
share announcement

Forest Protection: Plant–Microbe Interactions, Risk Assessments, and Management Strategies

A special issue of Plants (ISSN 2223-7747). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant Protection and Biotic Interactions".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2026 | Viewed by 1674

Editors

Dr. Xiaolei Ding

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, College of Forestry, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China
Interests: molecular pathogenic mechanisms and genetic variation of pine wood nematode (Bursaphelenchus xylophilus); bioinformatics and molecular biology; genes or splicing variants; pathogenicity; the SNPs variations among B. xylophilus populations
Dr. DeWei Li

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station Valley Laboratory, Windsor, CT 06095, USA
Interests: spatial and temporal patterns of airborne fungi; relationships of airborne fungi and air quality; characterization of airborne fungal spores; indoor fungal diversity; sampling strategy of indoor fungi investigation; indoor fungal ecology; biosystematics of hyphomycetes
Dr. Lifeng Zhou

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
State Key Laboratory for Development and Utilization of Forest Food Resources, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou 311300, China
Interests: plant pathology and biological control; phytopathogenic agents; phytopathogenic fungi and pine-parasitic nematodes; Bursaphelenchus xylophilus; the infection mechanisms; population dynamics; host interactions of pathogens

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

It is known that almost all plants are inevitably interacted with by various microbes during their life cycle. Understanding how these microbes exert harmful or beneficial effects on their hosts at the molecular, physiological, and ecological levels is critical for developing corresponding management strategies. This Special Issue aims to compile multidisciplinary research relevant to forest protection, including, but not limited to, pathological, symbiotic, beneficial, and associative interactions of microbes (pathogens, pests and beneficial microbes); potential risk assessments based on ecological niche model; and management strategies using cutting-edge approaches. We welcome original research articles, reviews, and brief communications that utilize various research techniques (genetics, genomics, molecular biology, biochemistry, and ecological niche modeling) to elucidate mechanisms underlying plant interactions with other organisms, assess potential risk posed by pathological microbes, and establish effective management strategies.

Dr. Xiaolei Ding
Dr. DeWei Li
Dr. Lifeng Zhou
Guest Editors

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-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Plants is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly 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

  • forest protection
  • pathogens
  • molecular biology
  • biochemistry
  • plant–microbe interactions

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 (3 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

21 pages, 11777 KB  
Article
Endophytic Bacterial Exopolysaccharide and Ethylene Hyperactivate Flavonoid Synthesis in Leaves of Fagus sylvatica L. with False Heartwood
by Artur Likhanov, Svitlana Bilous, Iryna Smetanska, Maksym Kharkhota, Oleksandr Subin, Volodymyr Gryb, Vira Boroday, Liubov Zelena, Mariia Shevchuk and Andrii Bilous
Plants 2026, 15(16), 2420; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants15162420 - 7 Aug 2026
Abstract
The presence of false heartwood in the stems of Fagus sylvatica L. significantly reduces timber quality; to date, its physiological triggers remain understudied. Research on beech stands in the forests of the Bukovinian Pre-Carpathians (Ukraine) was aimed at identifying functional links between leaf [...] Read more.
The presence of false heartwood in the stems of Fagus sylvatica L. significantly reduces timber quality; to date, its physiological triggers remain understudied. Research on beech stands in the forests of the Bukovinian Pre-Carpathians (Ukraine) was aimed at identifying functional links between leaf structure, synthesis of polyphenols, microbial elicitors, and false heartwood formation. Using morphometric analysis, epifluorescence microscopy, and spectrophotometry, trees with false heartwood (FH morphotype) were compared with those without it, the healthy control (HC morphotype). Sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene identified the endophytic strain Bacillus halotolerans (BHFHB). The composition of its exopolysaccharides (EPS) was analyzed by gas chromatography. Trees with FH were identified as a distinct morphotype characterized by leaf blade thickness and increased flavonoid content in leaves. It was experimentally demonstrated that this morphotype is characterized by the capacity for flavonoid hypersynthesis. Treatment of leaves with ethephon or bacterial EPS resulted in a 20–30% increase in flavonoid content within four hours. The proactive response, combined with xeromorphic traits, indicates a state of systemic priming. FH formation in this morphotype is proposed to be considered as an individual adaptive strategy, where ethylene-dependent hypersynthesis of flavonoids provides antioxidant protection, biomechanical resistance, and metabolomic adaptation under extreme conditions of mountain ecosystems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Forest Protection: Plant–Microbe Interactions, Risk Assessments, and Management Strategies)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

15 pages, 8242 KB  
Article
Occurrence of Pine Gall Rust on Huangshan Pine Caused by Cronartium orientale in China
by Shengrong Su, Qingyan Wen, Jinrong Zhu, Yao Chen and Lifeng Zhou
Plants 2026, 15(11), 1683; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants15111683 - 29 May 2026
Viewed by 703
Abstract
Pine gall rust has emerged as a serious threat to Pinus taiwanensis (Huangshan pine) in Huangshan Mountain, a UNESCO World Heritage site in China. This study systematically investigated the etiology, host range, and epidemiological characteristics of the disease through field surveys, morphological observations, [...] Read more.
Pine gall rust has emerged as a serious threat to Pinus taiwanensis (Huangshan pine) in Huangshan Mountain, a UNESCO World Heritage site in China. This study systematically investigated the etiology, host range, and epidemiological characteristics of the disease through field surveys, morphological observations, molecular phylogenetic analyses, and inoculation tests. The pathogen was identified as Cronartium orientale based on multi-locus sequencing (SSU, LSU, and ITS) and distinct basidiospore morphology. Quercus stewardii and Castanea seguinii were confirmed as alternate hosts, with Q. stewardii showing higher susceptibility. Microscopic examination revealed detailed spore morphology, and germination assays demonstrated that aeciospores and urediniospores germinate optimally at 12 °C and under near-saturated humidity. Aeciospore dispersal peaked from late April to early May, with spores detected up to 8 m from infected trees, under nearly windless conditions. The life cycle of C. orientale in this region involves annual production of pycnia and aecia on pine, followed by uredinia and telia on alternate hosts, enabling repeated infections. These findings clarify the etiology and epidemiology of pine gall rust on Huangshan pine, providing a scientific basis for disease monitoring and management strategies to protect the ecologically and culturally valuable Huangshan pine forests. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Forest Protection: Plant–Microbe Interactions, Risk Assessments, and Management Strategies)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

20 pages, 3829 KB  
Article
Vegetation Mosaic Effects on Soil Microbial Community Structure and Enzyme Functioning in Relation to Nutrient Heterogeneity in a Mountainous Ecotone
by Gang Lei, Yang Yang, Wenting Li, Tian Chen and Lianghua Qi
Plants 2026, 15(11), 1672; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants15111672 - 29 May 2026
Viewed by 735
Abstract
Vegetation mosaics characterize mountainous agroforestry ecosystems, yet how their spatial configuration shapes soil microbial assembly and functions remains unresolved. This study investigated how mosaic elements (monocultures, shrublands, and ecotones) drive microbial communities and enzyme activities across a forest–shrubland–farmland mosaic in western Hunan, China. [...] Read more.
Vegetation mosaics characterize mountainous agroforestry ecosystems, yet how their spatial configuration shapes soil microbial assembly and functions remains unresolved. This study investigated how mosaic elements (monocultures, shrublands, and ecotones) drive microbial communities and enzyme activities across a forest–shrubland–farmland mosaic in western Hunan, China. Nutrient stoichiometry, microbial biomass (PLFA), and six enzyme activities were analyzed via variance partitioning, partial least squares regression, and ordination analysis. Fungal biomass dominated, peaking in ecotones and showing the lowest values in monocultures and shrublands. Microbial assembly was regulated by soil nutrients (31%) rather than soil texture (15%). Fungi (variable importance in projection, VIP = 1.287) and bacteria (VIP = 1.003) were key drivers, indicating distinct functional compartmentalization: fungi drove oxidative enzymes, whereas bacteria mediated nutrient cycling. Actinomycetes and total PLFA acted as secondary drivers, with VIP values of 0.932 and 0.939, respectively. Soil organic matter, dissolved organic carbon, silt content, and available nitrogen were key abiotic predictors. Collectively, vegetation configuration regulates soil functioning via nutrient-mediated microbial assembly and functional differentiation across mosaic elements. These findings underscore the role of landscape heterogeneity in sustaining soil fertility, suggesting that protecting ecotones and maintaining mosaic complexity should be prioritized in mountainous agroforestry management to enhance soil ecological functioning under global land-use change. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Forest Protection: Plant–Microbe Interactions, Risk Assessments, and Management Strategies)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-3
Back to TopTop