Microbiomes in Agricultural Ecosystems: Their Role in Soil Fertility, Plant Health, and Ecosystem Sustainability
A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Environmental Sustainability and Applications".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 28 February 2027 | Viewed by 200
Special Issue Editors
Interests: tropical soil; soil physics; soil management
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi; ecosystem ecology; fungal biodiversity; soil ecology; soil microbiology; tropical ecosystems
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi; ecosystem ecology; fungal biodiversity; soil ecology; soil microbiology; tropical ecosystems
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Microbiomes are fundamental components of agricultural ecosystems, exerting a decisive influence on soil fertility, plant health, and the long-term sustainability of food production systems. Advances in molecular biology, high-throughput sequencing, and bioinformatics have significantly expanded our understanding of the structure, functions, and dynamics of soil, rhizosphere, and plant-associated microbiomes. These microbial communities regulate key biogeochemical processes, including nutrient cycling, organic matter turnover, and carbon sequestration, while also contributing to plant growth promotion, stress tolerance, and disease suppression. In the context of global challenges such as climate change, land degradation, and the intensification of agricultural practices, harnessing microbiome-based approaches offers promising pathways toward more resilient and sustainable agroecosystems. This Special Issue aims to bring together interdisciplinary research that advances fundamental and applied knowledge on agricultural microbiomes. We invite original research articles, reviews, and meta-analyses addressing microbial diversity, functional traits, plant–microbe interactions, microbiome management strategies, and their implications for sustainable agriculture. By integrating ecological, agronomic, and biogeochemical perspectives, this Special Issue seeks to contribute to the development of innovative, microbiome-informed solutions for sustainable food systems.
Dr. Flavio Pereira de Oliveira
Dr. Tancredo Augusto Souza
Prof. Dr. Raphael Moreira Beirigo
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. Sustainability 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 2400 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
- agricultural microbiomes
- soil fertility
- plant–microbe interactions
- sustainable agriculture
- soil health
- biogeochemical cycles
- ecosystem sustainability
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.
