About this Research Topic
The microbial ecology of plant disease involves studying microbial communities and their interactions within plant environments, focusing on their roles in health and disease. Microbial diversity in soils and on plant surfaces influences plant health by contributing to nutrient cycling, growth promotion, and disease suppression. Understanding how beneficial microbes interact with pathogens is crucial for managing plant diseases. Advances in high-throughput sequencing, metagenomics, and metabolomics have enabled detailed characterization of these microbial communities and their functions. Harnessing this knowledge, researchers are developing sustainable agricultural practices, including microbial inoculants and biocontrol agents, to enhance plant resilience and productivity.
This Research Topic aims to explore the connections between microbial diversity and functional roles in plant disease ecology, providing insights for innovative and sustainable disease management strategies, and addressing the intricate relationships between microbial communities and plant pathogens, crucial for developing sustainable agricultural practices. Recent advances in high-throughput sequencing and metagenomics have revolutionized our ability to characterize microbial communities associated with plants and soil. These technologies enable comprehensive assessments of microbial diversity, revealing how microbial composition varies across different agricultural systems and its impact on plant diseases. Additionally, advancements in metabolomics and functional genomics have illuminated the functional roles of microbes in nutrient cycling, disease suppression, and plant growth promotion. Harnessing beneficial microbes for biological control of plant pathogens is a promising approach and recent research focuses on identifying and utilizing microbial antagonists that suppress pathogen growth through competition, antibiosis, and induced systemic resistance in plants.
This collections will also explore the complex interactions between microbes and plants in the context of plant diseases, with a focus on understanding the microbial diversity and their functional roles. The goal is to unravel the mechanisms by which microbial communities influence plant health, disease resistance, and susceptibility. Contributions should encompass a broad range of studies that shed light on the ecological, molecular, and functional aspects of microbial communities in plant disease dynamics. The collection aims to publish review or research papers related, but not limited to, the following themes:
- Characterization of microbial communities associated with healthy and diseased plants.
- Temporal dynamics of microbial communities during disease progression.
- Mechanisms of microbial interactions with plant hosts and pathogens.
- Functional roles of beneficial microbes in disease suppression and plant health.
- Pathogen-induced shifts in microbial community functions.
- Identification and characterization of microbial genes and metabolites involved in pathogenesis.
- Functional analysis of virulence factors in plant pathogens.
- Role of plant immune responses in shaping microbial communities.
- Influence of beneficial microbes on plant defense mechanisms.
- Integration of multi-omics data to understand plant-microbe-pathogen interactions.
- Computational tools and models for microbial community analysis.
This Research Topic aims to explore the connections between microbial diversity and functional roles in plant disease ecology, providing insights for innovative and sustainable disease management strategies, and addressing the intricate relationships between microbial communities and plant pathogens, crucial for developing sustainable agricultural practices. Recent advances in high-throughput sequencing and metagenomics have revolutionized our ability to characterize microbial communities associated with plants and soil. These technologies enable comprehensive assessments of microbial diversity, revealing how microbial composition varies across different agricultural systems and its impact on plant diseases. Additionally, advancements in metabolomics and functional genomics have illuminated the functional roles of microbes in nutrient cycling, disease suppression, and plant growth promotion. Harnessing beneficial microbes for biological control of plant pathogens is a promising approach and recent research focuses on identifying and utilizing microbial antagonists that suppress pathogen growth through competition, antibiosis, and induced systemic resistance in plants.
This collections will also explore the complex interactions between microbes and plants in the context of plant diseases, with a focus on understanding the microbial diversity and their functional roles. The goal is to unravel the mechanisms by which microbial communities influence plant health, disease resistance, and susceptibility. Contributions should encompass a broad range of studies that shed light on the ecological, molecular, and functional aspects of microbial communities in plant disease dynamics. The collection aims to publish review or research papers related, but not limited to, the following themes:
- Characterization of microbial communities associated with healthy and diseased plants.
- Temporal dynamics of microbial communities during disease progression.
- Mechanisms of microbial interactions with plant hosts and pathogens.
- Functional roles of beneficial microbes in disease suppression and plant health.
- Pathogen-induced shifts in microbial community functions.
- Identification and characterization of microbial genes and metabolites involved in pathogenesis.
- Functional analysis of virulence factors in plant pathogens.
- Role of plant immune responses in shaping microbial communities.
- Influence of beneficial microbes on plant defense mechanisms.
- Integration of multi-omics data to understand plant-microbe-pathogen interactions.
- Computational tools and models for microbial community analysis.
Keywords: Microbial Ecology, Plant Disease, Microbial Diversity Functional Roles, Pathogen Interactions, Disease Suppression, Plant-Microbe Interactions, Microbial Communities, Plant Pathogen Dynamics, Biocontrol Agents, Microbial Functions, Soil Health
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.
