Advances and New Perspectives in Beneficial Plant-Microbial Interactions

The interactions between plants and beneficial microorganisms, such as some Actinobacteria, Cyanobacteria, Firmicutes, etc., have been studied for decades, with the importance of these interactions to both symbionts in terms of enhanced adaptability, survival and fitness is out of the question. However, complete understanding of the mechanisms underlying such interactions has not yet been achieved. Likewise the extent to which external biotic and abiotic factors influence these relationships remains for the most part unclear. Metabolites produced by the symbionts genomes are also of utmost importance for the communication between plants and microorganism. In this respect, the recent application of high-throughput sequencing techniques is providing new avenues for the generation of knowledge, leading to key discoveries that are vital for the understanding of plant microbe interactions. A deeper understanding of the interactions between microorganisms and their plant hosts will also be of great benefit to the growing agricultural biotechnology industry.
The aim of this Research Topic is to provide new insights into the mechanisms that determine the interactions between microorganisms and their plant hosts and the ecological importance of these symbioses. This Topic will particularly focus on how the positive effects of plant-microbe associations for plant growth and tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses, including recent advances towards the application of this knowledge for the improvement of crop yields and the environmental sustainability of agricultural practices.

This Special Issue calls for reviews, opinions, or original research articles that focus the progress and current understanding of different aspects on fundamental and applied research related to beneficial plant-microorganism interactions and how these interactions can be implemented to improve the agricultural sustainability.