Plant Health in the Context of Fungal and Other Microbial Threats: Systematics, Pathogenesis and Integrated Management
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 October 2026 | Viewed by 25
Special Issue Editors
Interests: plant pathology; plant–microbe interactions; biological control of plant diseases; beneficial microorganisms in agriculture
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: cotton disease resistance; cotton Verticillium wilt; biological control of cotton diseases; plant–microbe interactions in cotton; screening and evaluation of cotton resistance germplasm
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: endophytic bacteria; plant growth promotion; biocontrol/biological control; plant disease control/suppression; stress tolerance enhancement
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
The health and productivity of plants continue to face significant pressure from diseases incited by fungal and other microbial pathogens, posing a persistent threat to global crop yields, biodiversity, and agricultural sustainability. Recent advances in molecular plant pathology, microbial ecology, genomics, and microbiome research have significantly improved our understanding of plant-associated microorganisms and their roles in plant health and disease. A deeper exploration of the plant’s perspective in these interactions—including plant immune perception, signaling networks, and physiological outcomes—is crucial for developing next-generation solutions. At the same time, accurate identification and taxonomic delimitation of plant pathogenic fungi remain fundamental for disease diagnosis, biodiversity assessment, epidemiological studies, and the development of effective management strategies.
This Special Issue aims to bring together original research and review articles on plant pathogenic fungi and other plant-associated microorganisms, with particular emphasis on pathogen identification, taxonomy, phylogeny, host–pathogen interactions, biological control, and sustainable disease management. We encourage submissions that elucidate plant-side mechanisms of compatibility or resistance, as well as studies that translate insights from plant–microbe dialogs into concrete strategies for enhancing plant health and resilience. Studies addressing novel taxa, molecular diagnostics, population diversity, pathogenicity, beneficial microbes, and integrated approaches to plant protection are especially welcome. The integration of plant physiology, immunity, and ecology with pathogen biology is a key goal. By integrating systematics, ecology, and applied plant pathology, this Special Issue seeks to advance both fundamental knowledge and practical strategies for sustainable crop protection.
You may choose our Joint Special Issue in International Journal of Plant Biology.
Prof. Dr. Yi Zhou
Dr. Jinglong Zhou
Dr. Jianwei Jiang
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-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 pathogenic fungi
- pathogen identification
- fungal taxonomy
- phylogeny
- host–pathogen interactions
- biological control
- plant disease management
- beneficial microorganisms
- sustainable crop protection
- molecular diagnostics
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