Plant-Soil Interactions, 3rd Edition

Topic Information

Dear Colleagues,

Following the successful completion of Volume I and II of “Plant–Soil Interactions” and the great interest in this research topic, we are pleased to announce the launch of Volume III.

Biological fertilizers are substances that contain microorganisms that, when applied to seeds, plant surfaces, or soil, colonize the rhizosphere and promote plant growth by increasing the supply of primary nutrients to the host plant. Research has shown that biofertilizers have different effects in various environments, and even within the same one. A number of scientists have been working on solving this problem, but no perfect solution has yet been found. Despite their satisfactory effects in drier climates, biofertilizers are likely to be better controlled and regulated in all environments in the future. Therefore, it is necessary to enhance knowledge on this subject. The aim of this Special Issue is therefore to promote research surrounding the use of microorganisms in improving plant growth and protection against biotic and abiotic stresses.

Dr. Domenico Prisa
Prof. Dr. Fernando Monroy
Topic Editors

Keywords

Participating Journals

Journal Name	Impact Factor	CiteScore	Launched Year	First Decision (median)	APC
Agriculture agriculture	4.5	7.8	2011	18.8 Days	CHF 2600	Submit
Agronomy agronomy	4.1	7.6	2011	17 Days	CHF 2600	Submit
Crops crops	2.1	2.9	2021	22.4 Days	CHF 1200	Submit
Horticulturae horticulturae	3.4	6.1	2015	16.7 Days	CHF 2200	Submit
International Journal of Plant Biology ijpb	-	4.2	2010	17 Days	CHF 1400	Submit
Land land	3.5	6.4	2012	17.5 Days	CHF 2600	Submit
Plants plants	4.7	8.5	2012	16.5 Days	CHF 2700	Submit

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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All Agriculture Agronomy Crops Horticulturae Plants IJPB Land

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17 pages, 2849 KB  

Open AccessArticle

Contrasting Rhizosphere Soil Stoichiometric Traits and Microbial Nitrogen Limitation Between Maize and Peanut Under Intercropping and Straw Retention

by Qila Sa, Wei Qi, Jie Liang, Yujun Cao, Fanyun Yao and Yongjun Wang

Agriculture 2026, 16(13), 1388; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture16131388 (registering DOI) - 25 Jun 2026

Abstract

Extracellular enzyme stoichiometry is a key indicator for assessing nutrient limitation experienced by soil microorganisms. Yet, the characteristics of enzyme-inferred microbial nutrient limitation in rhizosphere soil under the combined agricultural practices of intercropping and straw retention remain unclear. Here, we conducted a field [...] Read more.

Extracellular enzyme stoichiometry is a key indicator for assessing nutrient limitation experienced by soil microorganisms. Yet, the characteristics of enzyme-inferred microbial nutrient limitation in rhizosphere soil under the combined agricultural practices of intercropping and straw retention remain unclear. Here, we conducted a field experiment in the black soil region of Northeast China to quantify the effects of intercropping and straw retention on soil nutrients, microbial biomass, extracellular enzyme activities, and their C:N:P stoichiometry in the rhizosphere of maize and peanut. Our results showed that compared with sole cropping, intercropping increased soil organic carbon (SOC) by 6.21–13.57%, total nitrogen (TN) by 8.57–12.49%, and total phosphorus (TP) by 12.01–40.29% in the rhizosphere. The vector analysis revealed an average vector length (VL) of 1.68 and 1.57 for extracellular enzymes in the rhizosphere soil of maize and peanut, with a vector angle (VA) of 37.80° and 34.67°, respectively. These values suggest that soil microorganisms in the rhizosphere of both crops experienced C limitation, and that the degree of enzyme-inferred N limitation was modulated by microbial C acquisition strategies, with a dynamic trade-off between the two. This N limitation was more pronounced in the peanut rhizosphere. Notably, the combined treatment of intercropping and full straw retention increased the VA of peanut by 5.38%, corresponding to a partial alleviation of enzyme-inferred N limitation in the rhizosphere soil. The extracellular enzyme C:N:P stoichiometry in the rhizosphere soil of maize and peanut was 1.33:1.29:1.00 and 0.89:1.29:1.00, respectively. Microbial biomass nitrogen (MBN) was the primary factor affecting enzyme-inferred microbial nutrient limitation (explaining 54.6% of variation). The extracellular enzyme stoichiometric characteristics of rhizosphere soil differed significantly between the two crops. Intercropping had a stronger impact on rhizosphere microbial nutrient limitation than straw retention, and their synergistic effect was associated with a partial alleviation of rhizosphere enzyme-inferred N limitation by enhancing extracellular enzyme activity. These findings demonstrate that integrated intercropping and straw retention can support sustainable soil management in black soil agroecosystems. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Plant-Soil Interactions, 3rd Edition)

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18 pages, 3951 KB  

Open AccessArticle

Rhizosphere Functional Plasticity and the Keystone Taxon Sphingomonas Facilitate Sweet Cherry Adaptation to Semi-Arid Stress

by Liyan Zhang, Jinyang Dong, Jun Zhao, Haiyan Jiang and Wenbing Zhang

Plants 2026, 15(11), 1632; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants15111632 - 26 May 2026

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Abstract

Translocation of elite cultivars across distinct climatic regions often induces transplantation shock. Although the rhizosphere microbiome can facilitate host acclimation, the underlying functional mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we investigated microbiome-mediated adaptation in “Hongdeng” sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.) moved from a humid [...] Read more.

Translocation of elite cultivars across distinct climatic regions often induces transplantation shock. Although the rhizosphere microbiome can facilitate host acclimation, the underlying functional mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we investigated microbiome-mediated adaptation in “Hongdeng” sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.) moved from a humid coastal region (Dalian, DL) to a semi-arid inland habitat (Hohhot, HS). We integrated plant physiological assays, metagenomic sequencing, and structural equation modeling (SEM) to compare the source population (DL), the introduced population (HS), and a locally acclimated reference cultivar (“Summit”, HSY). The introduced trees adjusted physiologically to the semi-arid environment by elevating proline levels and antioxidant enzyme activities. Although environmental stress reduced microbial alpha diversity, the core taxonomic framework persisted. Community assembly analysis indicated that the semi-arid climate intensified environmental filtering. Network analysis identified Sphingomonas as a keystone taxon; notably, it maintained a highly connected topological role despite a stable relative abundance. Furthermore, structural equation modeling showed that the environmental stress index positively correlated with the upregulation of microbial DNA repair pathways (R = 0.81, p < 0.001). Ultimately, the SEM demonstrated that environmental stress primarily shapes microbial functional profiles rather than driving species turnover, thereby contributing to host adaptation. The successful establishment of introduced sweet cherry in semi-arid regions is tied more closely to rhizosphere functional plasticity than to taxonomic restructuring. These findings highlight the role of the keystone taxon Sphingomonas in maintaining rhizosphere homeostasis, offering a theoretical framework for targeted microbiome engineering to mitigate transplant shock and enhance crop resilience. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Plant-Soil Interactions, 3rd Edition)

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