Fungi are considered older than plants while plant-fungal interactions are considered as old as the evolutionary period of higher plants. Some fungi interact positively or negatively with plant roots in the rhizosphere or with aboveground plant components. It is well known that these fungi can have different lifestyles viz., saprophytic, pathogenic, endophytic or symbiotic, but the distinctions between different lifestyles are not always clear. The beneficial plant-associated fungi can benefit their hosts by promoting their growth, producing secondary metabolites and improving their resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses. In contrast, the pathogenic fungi can cause diseases and are a major threat to crop yield and food security.
The interactions between fungi and plants, ranging from harmful to valuable associations, play a primary role in natural and agricultural ecosystems. These interactions can affect agriculture, the environment and ultimately the economy. There are a huge number of fungi yet to be discovered, thus the study of plant-fungal interactions is very important for finding these missing fungi and helpful for exploring their roles in the ecosystem. Especially in the tropics, studies are needed to be carried out since these regions have a high plant diversity which is positively correlated with fungal diversity. Nevertheless, previous studies showed that even the temperate plant species harbor a large number of cryptic species. Therefore, it is essential to explore the inhabiting fungal species from the perspective of plant-fungal interactions in the plants that are from temperate and tropical regions.
In this Research Topic, we invite frontline researchers to submit original research and review articles that explore “Plant-Fungal Interactions”. The potential topics include, but are not limited to:
• Taxonomy and phylogeny of plant-associated fungi;
• Plant-associated fungal diversity;
• Plant-associated fungal pathogens;
• Plant-associated fungal endophytes;
• Symbiotic plant-fungal associations;
• Fungi as biocontrol agents and plant growth promoters;
• Plant-associated fungal enzymes.
Fungi are considered older than plants while plant-fungal interactions are considered as old as the evolutionary period of higher plants. Some fungi interact positively or negatively with plant roots in the rhizosphere or with aboveground plant components. It is well known that these fungi can have different lifestyles viz., saprophytic, pathogenic, endophytic or symbiotic, but the distinctions between different lifestyles are not always clear. The beneficial plant-associated fungi can benefit their hosts by promoting their growth, producing secondary metabolites and improving their resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses. In contrast, the pathogenic fungi can cause diseases and are a major threat to crop yield and food security.
The interactions between fungi and plants, ranging from harmful to valuable associations, play a primary role in natural and agricultural ecosystems. These interactions can affect agriculture, the environment and ultimately the economy. There are a huge number of fungi yet to be discovered, thus the study of plant-fungal interactions is very important for finding these missing fungi and helpful for exploring their roles in the ecosystem. Especially in the tropics, studies are needed to be carried out since these regions have a high plant diversity which is positively correlated with fungal diversity. Nevertheless, previous studies showed that even the temperate plant species harbor a large number of cryptic species. Therefore, it is essential to explore the inhabiting fungal species from the perspective of plant-fungal interactions in the plants that are from temperate and tropical regions.
In this Research Topic, we invite frontline researchers to submit original research and review articles that explore “Plant-Fungal Interactions”. The potential topics include, but are not limited to:
• Taxonomy and phylogeny of plant-associated fungi;
• Plant-associated fungal diversity;
• Plant-associated fungal pathogens;
• Plant-associated fungal endophytes;
• Symbiotic plant-fungal associations;
• Fungi as biocontrol agents and plant growth promoters;
• Plant-associated fungal enzymes.