About this Research Topic
A holistic understanding of biochemical mechanisms and intra- and inter-kingdom signaling is required to decipher the components of an agroecosystem, towards devising appropriate mitigation strategies. Global metabolomics/discovery approaches are at the crux of this understanding, leading to hypotheses-driven/targeted interrogation. While previous studies have reported roles for lipids in root signaling between legumes and Rhizobia in soil for nitrogen fixation, terpenoid lactones in nitrate leaching in the soil through microbial interactions, secondary metabolites in modifying shoot: root ratio and thereby carbon assimilation in the roots, and several metabolite classes such as sugars, amino acids, fatty acids, phenolic acids and alkaloids in regulating methane production in ruminants, novel mechanisms remain unexplored. With current advances in metabolomics workflows including data processing (Metaboanalyst, mzMine, MS-Dial, etc.), downstream compound identification (METLIN Gen2, GNPS, LipidMaps, etc.), and networking/mapping (Mummichog, KEGG Mapper, etc.), impending novel insights can be explored, in turn, expediting knowledge-driven mitigation strategies. Metabolomics approaches also enable rapid diagnostics of mitigation-related traits.
This Research Topic welcomes papers that explore the following themes (but not limited to):
• Soil metabolomics and soil-microbe-plant interactions pertaining to root exudates, chemical legacy/allelopathic effects in succession and mixed planting regimes, nitrogen fixation, biological nitrification inhibition, carbon assimilation in soil,
volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in intra-kingdom crosstalk, and similar soil-related mechanisms.
• Screening and breeding of plant species and germplasm to elucidate biochemical mechanisms that promote better nitrogen use efficiency, reduce methane production in ruminants, and enhance palatability and digestion in animals.
• Changes in animal metabolism (specifically rumen) driven by different breeds and feeds. These feeds include additives, bio-actives, and concentrates aimed at lowering methane production and nitrous oxide emissions; as well as the application of biomarkers to diagnose these metabolic changes for rapid on-farm animal screening.
Keywords: metabolomics, plant breeding, soil-microbe-plant interactions, animal nutrition
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.