Microorganisms from Terrestrial Extreme Environments: Exploration and Exploitation Towards Sustainable Plant Production

Dear Colleagues,

Global climate change (GCC) is generating several issues at present, especially limitations regarding water and food security, with an enormous impact on a growing population. In this scenario, it is urgent to develop sustainable alternatives. Allowing the adaptation of agro-food production systems to the new conditions of drastic temperatures, drought, salinity, and, in many cases, soil contamination due to industrial activities or the excessive use of agrochemicals is required. On the other hand, the main role played by diverse soil microorganisms is well recognized, especially those associated with the plant rhizosphere, which are able to promote plant growth through different mechanisms. Jointly, these represent an increase in the plant’s tolerance to adverse environmental conditions. Noticeably, the existence of plant communities in extreme environments, such as hyper-arid deserts, Arctic and Antarctic areas, salt flats, high mountains, or soils with a high presence of phytotoxic elements, among others, represents a unique opportunity for the study of microorganisms highly adapted to these limiting conditions. Studying such kinds of microorganisms opens avenues to their potential for plant growth promotion, highlighting them as a valuable tool to be used in plant production. This Special Issue aims to gather current and relevant information on the microbiological components present in diverse extreme terrestrial environments, specifically oriented towards the characterization and corroboration of microbial capacity to increase the plant tolerance to the main limitations that the GCC is generating in plant production.

Dr. Pablo Cornejo
Prof. Dr. Cledir Santos
Guest Editors

Dr. Catalina Vidal
Guest Editor Assistant

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• global climate change
• hyper-arid environments
• salinity
• drought
• polluted soils
• plant-growth-promoting microorganisms