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Plants
Special Issues
Plant Interactions with Both Beneficial and Pathogenic Microorganisms
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Plant Interactions with Both Beneficial and Pathogenic Microorganisms

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 April 2026 | Viewed by 855

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Juan Francisco Jimenez-Bremont

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Laboratorio de Biotecnología Molecular de Plantas, División de Biología Molecular, Instituto Potosino de Investigación Científica y Tecnológica, A. C., San Luis Potosi, Mexico
Interests: plant–microbe interactions; polyamines; functional characterization of genes involved in the response to abiotic stress; glycine rich proteins; dehydrins
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue is dedicated to advancing our understanding of the diverse interactions between plants and microorganisms. We welcome original research and review articles that specifically address the roles of beneficial bacteria and fungi in promoting plant growth, enhancing resistance against pathogens, improving tolerance to abiotic stress, and functioning as biological control agents. In addition, manuscripts focusing on pathogenic microorganisms, particularly studies on pathogen effectors and their interactions with plants, are also welcome.

Dr. Juan Francisco Jimenez-Bremont
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. 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

  • plant–microbe interactions
  • biocontrol agents
  • biostimulants
  • plant pathogens
  • sustainable agriculture

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

28 pages, 3243 KB  
Article
Transcriptional Analysis of a Tripartite Interaction Between Maize (Zea mays, L.) Roots Inoculated with the Pathogenic Fungus Fusarium verticillioides and Its Bacterial Control Agent Bacillus cereus sensu lato Strain B25
by Paúl Alán Báez-Astorga, Abraham Cruz-Mendívil, Juan Luis Figueroa-Castro, Itzel Guadalupe López-Soto, Jesús Eduardo Cazares-Álvarez, Josefat Gregorio-Jorge, Carlos Ligne Calderón-Vázquez and Ignacio Eduardo Maldonado-Mendoza
Plants 2025, 14(23), 3661; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14233661 - 1 Dec 2025
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Abstract
One open question regarding plant–microbe interactions is how a plant interacts molecularly with both a beneficial microbe and a pathogenic fungus. This study used RNA-seq to investigate molecular responses in maize roots during a tripartite interaction with the fungal pathogen Fusarium verticillioides ( [...] Read more.
One open question regarding plant–microbe interactions is how a plant interacts molecularly with both a beneficial microbe and a pathogenic fungus. This study used RNA-seq to investigate molecular responses in maize roots during a tripartite interaction with the fungal pathogen Fusarium verticillioides (Fv), which causes stalk, ear, and root rot, and the endophytic biocontrol agent Bacillus cereus sensu lato B25, known to suppress Fv and promote plant growth. Roots of seven-day-old maize inoculated with Fv (Zm-Fv), B25 (Zm-B25), and co-inoculated (Zm-Fv-B25) were compared to uninoculated control (Zm). Differential Gene Expression (DEG), Gene Ontology (GO) and KEGG analysis revealed distinct molecular responses. Fv suppressed plant pathways related to DNA and protein synthesis and impaired root development. In contrast, B25 triggered defense priming and growth-related responses. In the co-inoculation experiment (Zm-B25-Fv), upregulated DEGs were associated with both defense-related metabolic pathways, including jasmonic acid signaling and secondary metabolite biosynthesis, and genes involved in plant growth processes. Co-expression networks using Arabidopsis orthologs supported the induction of defense- and growth and development-related genes. This study is the first RNA-seq analysis of maize root molecular responses during the tripartite interaction with a fungal pathogen and its bacterial biocontrol agent, providing new directions for further research to understand the detailed molecular mechanisms underlying this interaction fully. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Interactions with Both Beneficial and Pathogenic Microorganisms)
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23 pages, 2102 KB  
Article
Characterization of Endoglucanase (GH9) Gene Family in Tomato and Its Expression in Response to Rhizophagus irregularis and Sclerotinia sclerotiorum
by Yolani de Jesús Bojórquez-Armenta, Luis Gerardo Sarmiento-López, María J. Pozo, Claudia Castro-Martínez and Melina Lopez-Meyer
Plants 2025, 14(22), 3458; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14223458 - 12 Nov 2025
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Abstract
In this study, we report bioinformatics analysis of the endoglucanase GH9 gene family in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) using the SL5.0 genome, confirming the presence of 19 members that clustered into classes A, B, and C. To explore their potential role in [...] Read more.
In this study, we report bioinformatics analysis of the endoglucanase GH9 gene family in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) using the SL5.0 genome, confirming the presence of 19 members that clustered into classes A, B, and C. To explore their potential role in plant–microbe interactions, we determined the transcriptional regulation of 10 SlGH9 gene members in tomato leaves and roots during interactions with the mutualistic root mycorrhizal fungus Rhizophagus irregularis and the foliar pathogen Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. The upregulation of several SlGH9 genes in the leaves of mycorrhizal plants suggests that they are involved in cellulose remodeling and biosynthesis rather than its degradation. This would be consistent with the observed increase in foliar area. On the other hand, downregulation of some SlGH9 genes in leaves of pathogen-infected mycorrhizal plants suggests that these genes may play a role in the enhanced resistance observed by reducing cellulose degradation, thereby maintaining cell wall integrity. The potential involvement of endoglucanase genes in expansive growth (foliar area) and in defense in mycorrhizal and pathogen-infected plants may reflect a growth–defense trade-off. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Interactions with Both Beneficial and Pathogenic Microorganisms)
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