The "Plant Protection and Biotic Interactions" Section aims to increase our knowledge of plant interactions with pathogenic and beneficial symbiotic and nonsymbiotic microorganisms, arthropod pests, and weed species. Research articles using interdisciplinary approaches to unravel complex mechanisms underlying plant interactions with other organisms or to study novel strategies for plant pest management are welcomed. Aside from these biological interaction areas, the Section also focuses on disease and pest reports, diagnostics, and management, always taking into account the plant point of view. The Section also welcomes papers on all aspects of plant pathology, entomology, and weed science, especially studies which show how these organisms affect the plant.

As they are of an open access format, you have free and unlimited access to the full text of all the articles published in our journal. We welcome you to read our most highly cited papers published in 2021 listed below:

1. “Global Plant Virus Disease Pandemics and Epidemics”
by Roger A. C. Jones et al.
Plants 2021, 10(2), 233; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants10020233
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/10/2/233

2. “Biostimulant Properties of Seaweed Extracts in Plants: Implications towards Sustainable Crop Production”
by Omar Ali et al.
Plants 2021, 10(3), 531; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants10030531
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/10/3/531

3. “Molecular Characterization of the Alfalfa mosaic virus Infecting Solanum melongena in Egypt and the Control of Its Deleterious Effects with Melatonin and Salicylic Acid”
by Ahmed R. Sofy et al.
Plants 2021, 10(3), 459; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants10030459
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/10/3/459

4. “An Overview of Some Biopesticides and Their Importance in Plant Protection for Commercial Acceptance”
by Jitendra Kumar et al.
Plants 2021, 10(6), 1185; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants10061185
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/10/6/1185

5. “Differential Detection of the Tobamoviruses Tomato Mosaic Virus (ToMV) and Tomato Brown Rugose Fruit Virus (ToBRFV) Using CRISPR-Cas12a”
by Dan Mark Alon et al.
Plants 2021, 10(6), 1256; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants10061256
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/10/6/1256

6. “Bioherbicidal Potential of the Essential Oils from Mediterranean Lamiaceae for Weed Control in Organic Farming”
by Giuseppe De Mastro et al.
Plants 2021, 10(4), 818; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants10040818
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/10/4/818

7. “Bacterial Endophytes: The Hidden Actor in Plant Immune Responses against Biotic Stress”
by Nadira Oukala et al.
Plants 2021, 10(5), 1012; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants10051012
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/10/5/1012

8. “RNA-Based Technologies for Engineering Plant Virus Resistance”
by Michael Taliansky et al.
Plants 2021, 10(1), 82; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants10010082
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/10/1/82

9. “First Report of Protective Activity of Paronychia argentea Extract against Tobacco Mosaic Virus Infection”
by Ahmed Abdelkhalek et al.
Plants 2021, 10(11), 2435; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants10112435
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/10/11/2435

10. “Genetic Diversity and Pathogenicity of Botryosphaeriaceae Species Associated with Symptomatic Citrus Plants in Europe”
by Jadson Diogo Pereira Bezerra et al.
Plants 2021, 10(3), 492; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants10030492
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/10/3/492

11. “Identification and Mapping of Tomato Genome Loci Controlling Tolerance and Resistance to Tomato Brown Rugose Fruit Virus”
by Avner Zinger et al.
Plants 2021, 10(1), 179; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants10010179
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/10/1/179

12. “Plants under the Attack of Allies: Moving towards the Plant Pathobiome Paradigm”
by Mohamed Mannaa et al.
Plants 2021, 10(1), 125; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants10010125
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/10/1/125

13. “Tremellomycetes Yeasts in Kernel Ecological Niche: Early Indicators of Enhanced Competitiveness of Endophytic and Mycoparasitic Symbionts against Wheat Pathobiota”
by Vladimir Vujanovic et al.
Plants 2021, 10(5), 905; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants10050905
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/10/5/905