Fungal diseases, caused by soil-borne pathogenic fungi, have devastating impacts on agriculture, horticulture and forestry by affecting plant health, which lead to yield losses and post threats to food security. These diseases are notoriously difficult to control, because the fungal pathogens are often resistant to chemical treatments and can survive in soil for long periods of time, often persisting for years even in the absence of hosts. The pathogens primarily infect plants through roots and cause a variety of diseases, such as root rot, stem rot, crown rot, damping-off, and vascular wilts. Once inside the plant, these fungi can disrupt normal physiological processes, impairing water and nutrient uptake and causing extensive damage to vascular systems, which can result in stunted growth, chlorosis, and eventual plant death. Understanding the development of these diseases and the interactions between hosts and pathogens as well as environmental factors that influence disease outbreaks can help mitigate the effects of soil-borne fungal diseases on agricultural productivity.

This Research Topic aims to consolidate the latest findings regarding soil-borne fungal diseases, targeting their evolution, pathogenesis, and host defense mechanisms. By featuring cutting-edge research and detailed reviews, this issue aims to uncover the molecular interplays at work during host-pathogen interactions and improve methods for detecting these fungi. Furthermore, contributions in this volume will broaden our understanding of soil-borne fungal disease management, paving the way for novel control strategies and diminishing the damage they cause in the agricultural sector.

To advance this field, we invite researchers to submit original articles and reviews exploring, but not limited to, the following themes:
1) Identification and characterization of virulence factors associated with disease development
2) Mechanisms of host response to fungal infection
3) Advances in OMICS approaches in studying soil-borne fungal diseases
4) Impact of soil biotic, abiotic factors on host-pathogen interactions
5) Biology, epidemiology, and population genetics of soil-borne fungal pathogens
6) Strategies for disease prevention and control.

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Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology

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