About this Research Topic
Current challenges to global food have raised significant societal and scientific concerns. Traditionally, high crop yields have been achieved through extensive use of agrochemicals, particularly nitrogen-rich fertilizers. However, in recent decades, yield increases have plateaued in some key cereal production regions. This yield stagnation, along with increased nitrogen application, has resulted in low nitrogen use efficiency and severe environmental contamination.
The interconnected relationships between plants and microorganisms offer a promising solution. By establishing various interaction systems, plants, and microbes can enhance soil nutrient cycling, thereby improving nitrogen use efficiency and promoting crop health. Plants release lipids and sugars to microorganisms through root exudates. In return, microorganisms break down organic matter, releasing essential nutrients required by plants. This mutually beneficial relationship not only enriches soil fertility but also boosts crop yield and quality. Thus, the tripartite interaction between plants, soil, and microbes creates a self-sustaining cycle that supports sustainable agricultural systems.
The goal of this Research Topic is to address the challenges of enhancing nitrogen use efficiency and crop health by developing climate-smart agriculture management practices that optimize plant-soil interactions. It aims to understand how plant-microbe interactions influence soil fertility and crop nitrogen use efficiency, the nitrogen-related physiological mechanisms in crop systems, and their role in enhancing crop resilience to future climate change. The topic will appeal to researchers in soil science, plant nutrition, and agronomy who are focused on improving sustainable crop management to ensure global food security.
Specific topics include but are not limited to:
• The role of microorganisms in regulating nutrient cycling in soil and their contributions to nitrogen use efficiency and crop yield.
• Nitrogen-related physiological responses of crops to microbial-mediated changes in soil fertility.
• The symbiotic dynamics between crop growth and microbial diversity and function.
• Microbial enhancement of crop resilience to climate change.
• Development of climate-smart agricultural management practices to improve nutrient delivery and reduce environmental impact.
The interconnected relationships between plants and microorganisms offer a promising solution. By establishing various interaction systems, plants, and microbes can enhance soil nutrient cycling, thereby improving nitrogen use efficiency and promoting crop health. Plants release lipids and sugars to microorganisms through root exudates. In return, microorganisms break down organic matter, releasing essential nutrients required by plants. This mutually beneficial relationship not only enriches soil fertility but also boosts crop yield and quality. Thus, the tripartite interaction between plants, soil, and microbes creates a self-sustaining cycle that supports sustainable agricultural systems.
The goal of this Research Topic is to address the challenges of enhancing nitrogen use efficiency and crop health by developing climate-smart agriculture management practices that optimize plant-soil interactions. It aims to understand how plant-microbe interactions influence soil fertility and crop nitrogen use efficiency, the nitrogen-related physiological mechanisms in crop systems, and their role in enhancing crop resilience to future climate change. The topic will appeal to researchers in soil science, plant nutrition, and agronomy who are focused on improving sustainable crop management to ensure global food security.
Specific topics include but are not limited to:
• The role of microorganisms in regulating nutrient cycling in soil and their contributions to nitrogen use efficiency and crop yield.
• Nitrogen-related physiological responses of crops to microbial-mediated changes in soil fertility.
• The symbiotic dynamics between crop growth and microbial diversity and function.
• Microbial enhancement of crop resilience to climate change.
• Development of climate-smart agricultural management practices to improve nutrient delivery and reduce environmental impact.
Keywords: plant-soil interaction, nitrogen use efficiency, soil fertility, crop health, microbial functions
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.
