Role of Soil Microbiota in Plant Productivity

Dear Colleagues,

Plants and microbes have co-existed since the first appearance of plants on Earth. Plants and microbes interact with each other and develop complex and dynamic relationships that can either be beneficial, detrimental, or neutral. Plant-hosting microbial biodiversity is termed as plant microbiota. The beneficial interaction between the host plant and its microbiota serves various functions for plants, including improved growth, productivity, food quality, and alleviation of stress by recruiting multiple mechanisms. Thus, deciphering the mechanisms involved in positive interaction and harnessing the full potential of plant-microbe interaction to improve plant growth and productivity under continuously altering climatic conditions could fortify food security for a growing population.

This Special Issue focuses on: 1) the mechanisms of beneficial and effective interaction between plant and microbiota; 2) molecular pathways of plant growth and productivity mediated by associated microbiota; 3) management of plant biotic stress by microbiota; 4) microbes induced tolerance to abiotic stress in plants; 4) alleviation of oxidative stress in plants under stress conditions through beneficial interaction with microbiota; 5) plant–microbe interaction induced improved biochemical process in plants; 6) improved food quality on plant-microbe interaction; 7) signaling mechanism triggered by associated microbes in plants; and 8) application of plant–microbe interaction for agro-biotechnological innovations.

Deciphering and understanding the process of how plants differentiate between and select beneficial microbes over pathogenic microorganisms from colonization along with elucidation of molecular mechanisms and signaling pathways comprising regulatory gene networks is imperative to promote their application in the improvement of plant productivity under dynamic environmental situations.

We welcome papers dealing with the evolution of positive plant–microbe interaction with time; the mechanisms establishing effective interaction; the impact of interaction on plant growth and productivity; molecular and signaling pathways exerting a positive effect on plant growth by associated microbiota; alleviation of abiotic stress in plants; management of biotic stress in plants; maintaining homeostasis of reactive oxygen species in plants by microorganisms under stress; and the production of biofertilizers, biopesticides, and enzymes based on plant–microbe interaction.

Dr. Kuldeep Bauddh
Dr. Rana Pratap Singh
Guest Editors

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• abiotic stress
• biotic stress
• crop quality
• food security
• microbiome
• molecular mechanism
• phytohormones
• plant–microbe interaction
• root colonization
• soil microbiology