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Agriculture
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Plant–Soil–Microbe Interactions for Sustainable Crop Production
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Plant–Soil–Microbe Interactions for Sustainable Crop Production

A special issue of Agriculture (ISSN 2077-0472). This special issue belongs to the section "Crop Production".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (25 September 2023) | Viewed by 23066

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Andrey Vladimirovich Gorovtsov

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Academy of Biology and Biotechnology, Southern Federal University, 344090 Rostov-on-Don, Russia
Interests: soil microbiology; soil ecology; microbial communities; anthropogenically transformed soils; rhizosphere; soil remediation; bioindication
Dr. Chetan Keswani

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Science, Hindu University, Varanasi 221005, India
Interests: sustainable agriculture; crop protection; plant-microbe interactions; seed and soilborne diseases; seed biopriming; rhizosphere; plant growth regulation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Climate change, rapid urbanization, and injudicious use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides have severely impacted soil health. Sustainable crop production for a rapidly growing human population is one of the biggest challenges of the 21st century. The application of microbial biofertilizers, biopesticides, and their consortia has gained considerable attention for sustaining crop yield in diverse agroecosystems. Though there are multiple knowledge gaps pertaining to the crosstalk between plants and microbes under stress conditions especially under abiotic stress conditions, rhizosphere engineering holds the key to improving plants’ response against phytopathogens as well as imparting tolerance against a varying degree of abiotic stresses. 

Hence, this Special Issue invites contributions offering innovative and ecofriendly solutions to overcome the aforementioned challenges at the plant–soil, soil–microbe, and plant–microbe axis. The editors encourage the submission of original research articles, review articles, method papers, and opinions.

Dr. Andrey Vladimirovich Gorovtsov
Dr. Chetan Keswani
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Agriculture is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • organic farming
  • rhizosphere
  • soil microbiome
  • microbial consortium
  • soil-borne phytopathogens
  • abiotic stresses
  • nutrient use efficiency
  • root exudates
  • biochar
  • Sustainable Development Goal No. 2 (Zero Hunger)

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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22 pages, 2014 KiB  
Article
Directing the Apple Rhizobiome toward Resiliency Post-Fumigation
by Tracey Somera, Mark Mazzola and Chris Cook
Agriculture 2023, 13(11), 2104; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture13112104 - 6 Nov 2023
Viewed by 1296
Abstract
Currently, there are no standard management practices to counteract the adverse effects of fumigation on the soil microbiome. In this study, a variety of pre-plant soil amendments were examined for their ability to recruit and maintain apple rhizosphere microbiomes that are suppressive to [...] Read more.
Currently, there are no standard management practices to counteract the adverse effects of fumigation on the soil microbiome. In this study, a variety of pre-plant soil amendments were examined for their ability to recruit and maintain apple rhizosphere microbiomes that are suppressive to pathogen re-infestation of fumigated orchard soils. The capacity of these amendments to improve other characteristics of soil productivity was also evaluated. Results suggest that composted chicken manure and liquid chitin are likely to be detrimental to plant and soil health when used as a post-fumigation soil amendment. In comparison, insect frass (IF) resulted in a significant increase in tree trunk diameter relative to the fumigated control. Following pathogen re-infestation of fumigated soil, however, IF induced a significant increase in Pythium ultimum in the rhizosphere. Therefore, IF can benefit the growth of young apple trees in fumigated soil but may stimulate pathogen activity upon re-infestation. To date, the possibility of using soil amendments to suppress pathogen re-infestation of fumigated soils has not been tested. Results from this study ground support the use of soil amendments as an intervention strategy for “steering” the soil and rhizosphere microbiome in more beneficial and/or prophylactic directions following fumigation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant–Soil–Microbe Interactions for Sustainable Crop Production)
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16 pages, 2020 KiB  
Article
Investigating the Potential of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi in Mitigating Water Deficit Effects on Durum Wheat (Triticum durum Desf.)
by Samira Ould Amer, Toufik Aliat, Dmitry E. Kucher, Oussama A. Bensaci and Nazih Y. Rebouh
Agriculture 2023, 13(3), 552; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture13030552 - 24 Feb 2023
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1874
Abstract
Wheat is one of the main staple cereal crops worldwide. However, drought-induced stress is one of the factors limiting wheat productivity, especially in arid and semi-arid regions. The present study aims to investigate the influence of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) on wheat plant [...] Read more.
Wheat is one of the main staple cereal crops worldwide. However, drought-induced stress is one of the factors limiting wheat productivity, especially in arid and semi-arid regions. The present study aims to investigate the influence of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) on wheat plant growth under water-deficit conditions. Three Algerian durum wheat varieties—Mohamed Ben Bachir (MBB), Boussellem (BS) and Waha (W)—were grown with (+AMF) or without (−AMF) under water-deficit and non-stress conditions. Morphological, physiological, and biochemical responses to AMF inoculation under water deficit were quantified. The results showed improved morphological parameters (height of the aerial part (HAP), internode length (LIN), aerial part dry weight (APDW), root dry weight (RDW), length of the ear (LE)), and chlorophyll content in AMF-inoculated plants under water-deficit conditions compared to control plants (−AMF). Moreover, soluble protein content (SPC) and membrane stability index (MSI) significantly increased with AMF inoculation under water deficit by 18% and 10%, respectively, while the proline content decreased after AMF inoculation. In addition, the water deficit significantly increases peroxidase (POD), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), and catalase (CAT), but +AMF decreases them considerably in all studied varieties. The results suggest that AMF inoculation can lead to optimized durum wheat production under arid and semi-arid conditions and provide a basis for further studies on its effects under field conditions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant–Soil–Microbe Interactions for Sustainable Crop Production)
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Review

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22 pages, 2034 KiB  
Review
Biopesticide Consumption in India: Insights into the Current Trends
by Nilanjan Chakraborty, Rusha Mitra, Somrhita Pal, Retwika Ganguly, Krishnendu Acharya, Tatiana Minkina, Anik Sarkar and Chetan Keswani
Agriculture 2023, 13(3), 557; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture13030557 - 24 Feb 2023
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 12528
Abstract
Biopesticides are formulations derived from naturally occurring compounds that manage pests through non-toxic and environmentally favorable means. Being living organisms (natural enemies) or products, biopesticides represent less of a risk to the environment and to human health. Biopesticides, classified into three broad classes, [...] Read more.
Biopesticides are formulations derived from naturally occurring compounds that manage pests through non-toxic and environmentally favorable means. Being living organisms (natural enemies) or products, biopesticides represent less of a risk to the environment and to human health. Biopesticides, classified into three broad classes, are increasingly used in pest control, and include semiochemicals, plant-incorporated protectants (PIPs), and compounds derived from plants and microorganisms. Because of their advantages for the environment, target-specificity, efficacy, biodegradability, and applicability in integrated pest management (IPM) programs, biopesticides are gaining interest. Although biopesticides have seen significant advances in market penetration, they still make up a relatively small fraction of pest management solutions. Over 3000 tons are produced globally per annum, and this number is rising rapidly. In India, biopesticides account for just 4.2% of the country’s total pesticide market. Although the government has promoted the use of biopesticides by including them in several agricultural programs, biopesticides face numerous difficulties at a local level, but are predicted to expand at an astonishing 10% yearly pace. Under the Insecticides Act 1968, the Ministry of Agriculture in India controls the use of pesticides. Among the major biopesticides produced and used in India are Trichoderma, Bacillus thuringiensis, nuclear polyhedrosis virus, and neem-based pesticides. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant–Soil–Microbe Interactions for Sustainable Crop Production)
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26 pages, 1965 KiB  
Review
Unravelling the Recent Developments in the Production Technology and Efficient Applications of Biochar for Agro-Ecosystems
by Khushbu Kumari, Raushan Kumar, Nirmali Bordoloi, Tatiana Minkina, Chetan Keswani and Kuldeep Bauddh
Agriculture 2023, 13(3), 512; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture13030512 - 21 Feb 2023
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3475
Abstract
Considerable interest is being shown in using biochar production from waste biomass with a variety of disciplines to address the most pressing environmental challenges. Biochar produced by the thermal decomposition of biomass under oxygen-limited conditions is gaining popularity as a low-cost amendment for [...] Read more.
Considerable interest is being shown in using biochar production from waste biomass with a variety of disciplines to address the most pressing environmental challenges. Biochar produced by the thermal decomposition of biomass under oxygen-limited conditions is gaining popularity as a low-cost amendment for agro-ecosystems. The efficiency of biochar formation is affected by temperature, heating rate, feedstock type, particle size and reactor conditions. Properties such as pH, surface area and ash content of produced biochar increases with increasing temperatures. Biochar produced at lower heating rates may have high porosity and be beneficial for morphological changes in the soil. Biochar can help to enhance soil health and fertility as well as improve agricultural yield. As a result, biochar can assist in increasing food security by promoting sustainable agricultural systems and preserving an eco-friendly environment. Biochar is also widely being used as a sorbent for organic and inorganic pollutants, owing to its large surface area, allowing it to be immobilized from soil with ease. The functional groups and charges present on the surface of biochar play an important role in pollutants removal. This review focuses on the mechanisms of biochar production using different waste materials as a feed stock, factors that influence biochar quality as well as application of biochar in agricultural soil and their reclamation as well. This article also discusses knowledge gaps and future perspectives in the field of biochar-based toxic-pollution remediation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant–Soil–Microbe Interactions for Sustainable Crop Production)
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18 pages, 1979 KiB  
Review
Unravelling the Efficient Applications of Zinc and Selenium for Mitigation of Abiotic Stresses in Plants
by Retwika Ganguly, Anik Sarkar, Disha Dasgupta, Krishnendu Acharya, Chetan Keswani, Victoria Popova, Tatiana Minkina, Aleksey Yu Maksimov and Nilanjan Chakraborty
Agriculture 2022, 12(10), 1551; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12101551 - 26 Sep 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2867
Abstract
Abiotic stress factors are considered a serious threat to various growth parameters of crop plants. Stressors such as drought, salinity, and heavy metals (HMs) hamper the chlorophyll content in plants, resulting in low photosynthesis, hinder the integrity of cell membranes, reduce biomass, and [...] Read more.
Abiotic stress factors are considered a serious threat to various growth parameters of crop plants. Stressors such as drought, salinity, and heavy metals (HMs) hamper the chlorophyll content in plants, resulting in low photosynthesis, hinder the integrity of cell membranes, reduce biomass, and overall growth and development of crops which ultimately results in the sharp decline of crop yield. Under such stressful conditions, various strategies are employed to overcome hazardous effects. Application of Zinc (Zn) or Selenium (Se) in different forms is an effective way to alleviate the abiotic stresses in plants. Zn and Se play a pivotal role in enhancing the chlorophyll level to improve photosynthesis, reducing oxidative stress by limiting reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, controlling HMs absorption by plant roots and their accumulation in the plant body, maintaining homeostasis, and alleviating all the detrimental effects caused by abiotic stress factors. The current review is focused on the usefulness of Zn and Se application, their uptake, sensitization, and different defence mechanisms to relieve adverse effects of abiotic stresses (such as drought, salinity, and HMs) on crops. In this connection, research gaps have also been highlighted. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant–Soil–Microbe Interactions for Sustainable Crop Production)
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