Microbiome Associated With Plant Pathogens, Pathogenesis, and Their Applications in Developing Sustainable Agriculture

Plant pathogens, such as fungi, bacteria, viruses, nematodes, insect pests, etc., can pose a great threat to plants in agricultural and natural ecosystems worldwide. The plant disease triangle illustrates that pathogenesis in the plant is not only the outcome of the interactions between the plant host and pathogens but also the consequence of their interactions with the microbiomes associated with plant hosts and pathogens. Both microbiomes associated with plant host and pathogen regulate plant health and pathogen infection. Microbes can play an important role in promoting plant growth, and protecting from pathogens and/or insects. A healthy plant microbiome is crucial for plant survival, production, nutrient acquisition, abiotic or biotic stress tolerance, etc. However, the microbiome does not always cooperatively interact with plant hosts to promote host health. They may also deter plant health or promote pathogenicity by the production of toxins, suppressing plant innate immunity, or building a symbiotic or mutual relationship with pathogens or insect pests to facilitate the occurrence of plant disease. In addition, the disease can result in a plant if a susceptible host plant is in intimate association with a virulent pathogen under favorable or altered abiotic or biotic environmental conditions. For example, growing evidence suggests disease occurrence in plants is often accompanied by changes in the associated microbial community structure, composition, and even function.

During the past decades, the importance of the microbiome for plant health and disease control is well overrepresented. There has been a growing trend toward the utilization of beneficial microbial communities as sustainable approaches to disease control. However, the research of microbiomes associated with pathogenesis for destructive plant pathogens or pests and the exploration of their roles in pathogenesis remains rare. In this regard, this research topic will aim to explore recent advances in revealing the taxonomy, composition, assembly, variation, and microbial communities taxonomically and functionally associated with pathogenesis in plant disease development, and the role of microorganisms in pathogenesis or pathogenicity of the plant pathogens or pests, and their application for the better solution or novel strategy that improve agronomic practice efficiency and sustainability. This will also allow for a better understanding of the pathogenesis of plant pathogens or pests, and the plant-microbe-pathogen interactions, and also will help us to improve plant health and develop more effective biological control solutions for plant pathogens or pests in practice.

Subjects of interest include but are not limited to:

• Effects of the plant hosts, pathogenic differentiation, geographic differentiation, and other abiotic and biotic stresses on the microbiome associated with plant and plant pathogens, including pathogenic fungi, bacteria, viruses, nematodes, insect pests, and so on.
• The taxonomy, composition, and variation of microbial communities associated with plant pathogens or pests and the evolutionary and ecological processes of their assembly in plant disease development.
• Identification of the keystone symbiotic or mutual microbes taxonomically and functionally associated with pathogenesis in plant disease development.
• Revealing the microbiome-based pathogenesis and pathogenicity and plant-microbiome-pathogen interactions
• Exploring and developing novel solutions or cost-effective and sustainable strategies to tackle phytopathogens based on the understanding of microbiome-based pathogenesis and pathogenicity and plant-microbiome-pathogen interactions.

This Research Topic welcomes the submission of Original Research, Reviews, Mini Review, Opinion, Methods, and Perspective articles.