Evolutionary Trajectories in Plant-Associated Pseudomonas and Xanthomonas Strains

The strict relationships between bacteria and plants represents one of the major facets of terrestrial ecology. Depending on the type of interaction and amount of metabolic advantage one organism can obtain from such relationships, these are classified as mutualistic, commensal or parasitic interactions. Within this context, Pseudomonas and Xanthomonas are bacterial genera with a worldwide spread, capable of establishing all of the above mentioned interactions with plants. Therefore, they represent good models for studying different lifestyles and, accordingly, deciphering distinct evolutionary trajectories followed by different lineages of a single genus to infect and/or to establish a mutualistic relationships with the plant. Some members of these two genera are regulated pests that are recognized as economically major threats for their host crop(s) both in temperate and tropical environments.

Some Pseudomonas and Xanthomonas are key examples of different lifestyles (i.e., mesophyll or vessel-colonizing pathogens, epiphytic pathogens, plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria, non-pathogenic strains of recognized pathogenic species, etc). Refining our knowledge on the ecology and epidemiology of these bacterial groups, as well as deciphering their evolutionary dynamics are keys for understanding their contrasting lifestyles and consequently improving plant disease control. At the same time, insights on the activation of different plant defense mechanisms as challenged by the different repertoires of virulence factors displayed by pseudomonads and xanthomonads, would yield new achievements to reduce the threats they pose to cultivated and wild plant species.

This Research Topic focuses on microbial and evolutionary ecology of plant associated Pseudomonas and Xanthomonas, as well as the genomic and molecular diversity of lineages and the virulence and fitness features involved in the interaction with the host-plant. Most of the literature available for this Research Topic has been performed for strains isolated in temperate zones. In line with the long-recognized high social and environmental impact of pests and pathogens in tropical countries, we also encourage submissions of studies covering such situations for these areas. This Research Topic gathers high-quality contributions (Original Research, Methods, Protocols, Hypothesis & Theory, Reviews, Mini Reviews, Focused Reviews) and in order to promote complementary and original research approaches to improve our knowledge on pseudomonads and xanthomonads-host interactions and their control, it could benefit from the scientific communities currently working on Pseudomonas and Xanthomonas such as the teams dealing with the Pseudomonas syringae species complex and the French Network on Xanthomonads (FNX).