About this Research Topic

Background

Interactions between fungi and plants cover an extremely wide spectrum far beyond the most familiar and clear categories of autotrophs and heterotrophs. These interactions strikingly contribute to shape biomes and habitats: phytocoenosis and mycocoenosis are reciprocally affected as well as single plant species and fungal species. An analogous ratio can be applied to cultured plant species and thus affect the agricultural landscapes. Plants and fungi face abiotic and climatic factors which increase the variability of the interaction results.
In this Research Topic we aim to host and join the different points of view from which interactions between fungi and plants can be investigated. Topics of particular interest are summarized as follows: - mycorrhizae: diversity of fungal species and plant symbiont spectrum; how mycorrhizae shape the phytocoenosis in different habitats; how abiotic factors favor/hamper colonization by mycorrhizae and how this affects phytocoenosis and plant health; role of strain/cultivar selection in optimization of growth conditions for edible mycorrhizal species and/or for cultured plant species; environmental risks and opportunities in introduction of allochtonous mycorrhizal species; autotroph-heterotroph relationships; biotechnologically important mycorrhiza forming edible mushrooms; cultivation; biotech products; - plant pathogens and degraders: re-thinking the difference between pathogens and saprotrophs – where is the ‘line’ between them; dead wood as a featuring factor in mycodiversity in forests and agricultural landscapes; how micro and macro plant pathogens shape the phytocoenosis – role of authoctonous and allochtonous species; how climate change affects infection and pathology course in wild and cultured plant species; cultured species as carriers of fungal plant pathogens; cultured and uncultured plant species as reservoir of fungal pathogens; hyperparasitism as a strategy in biocontrol; the biome inside the plant – coexistence of fungi and other microbes, synergy, antagonism, competition and their comprehensive effects on plant health; biocontrol; xylotrophes brackets and agarics fungi; medicinal mushrooms; mycopharmaceuticals and other biotech products;  - biogeography and evolution (applicable to all trophic categories mentioned): how fungi follow their hosts/symbionts on Earth; speciation and ecotypes in fungi as a function of host/symbiont diversity either in sympatry or allopatry; - niche modelling (applicable to all trophic categories mentioned): tools and protocols for niche modelling; role of climate change; role of human activities. A major pillar in this Research Topic is interdisciplinarity: botanists and mycologists from different specializations, as well as data analysts, pedologists, molecular biologists, etc., are challenged to join this effort as teams.

Keywords: mycorrhizae, plant pathogens, plant decayers, biogeography, ecological niche

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.

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