About this Research Topic
The great interest in the plant microbiome mainly stems from its potential to provide ecofriendly solutions in plant disease protection and novel tools to promote sustainability in agroecosystems. Understanding the population dynamics of the plant microbiota and exploring the functional properties of the plant microbiomes are essential to transform fundamental knowledge to microbiome-informed innovations in modern agriculture.
We distinguish three ways by which the microbiota interact with the plant immunity: (i) evasion and/or suppression of local plant immune responses as a prerequisite for efficient colonization of the plant organs, (ii) microbiota-mediated modulation of systemic immune response; specific microbes can induce systemic resistance (ISR), whereas others render plants more susceptible, (iii) direct mechanisms of disease suppression as exemplified in the disease suppressive soils. In this Research Topic, we aim to collect studies to expand our understanding on the reciprocal interactions between the plant microbiota and the plant immune system. We welcome submission of Original Research, Reviews, and Opinions on the following:
- Mechanisms that root and leaf microbiota (bacteria and fungi) have evolved to evade or suppress local host immune responses.
- Disease-induced structural and functional modification of the root microbiome, i.e. compositional changes of the root and leaf microbiota in response to pathogen attack.
- Mechanisms involved in microbiota-mediated modulation of plant immunity.
- Mechanisms of direct disease suppression by microbiota members or microbial assemblages.
- Use of metagenomic and culture-based data to design and apply synthetic microbial communities to promote plant growth and suppress disease.
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