Soil Microorganisms in Plant Health: Roles and Applications
A special issue of Horticulturae (ISSN 2311-7524). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant Nutrition".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 10 May 2026 | Viewed by 47
Special Issue Editors
Interests: soil microbiology; plant-microbe interactions; diazotrophic bacteria; biocontrol agents
Interests: plant-microbe interaction
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: soil microbiology; plant-microbe interactions; soil plastic contamination; microplastic-microbe interactions in soil
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Ensuring the safety, nutritional value, and sustainability of horticultural products is a pressing global challenge, particularly in the face of climate change, soil degradation, and chemical contamination. This Special Issue focuses on the use of soil- and plant-associated microorganisms to support plant health and productivity while contributing to food safety and nutritional quality in horticultural systems.
We welcome contributions exploring microbial-based strategies to improve plant nutrition, including the use of microbial biofertilizers that can reduce reliance on synthetic inputs, enhance nutrient bioavailability in the rhizosphere, or improve soil quality parameters.
We are also interested in studies addressing the role of beneficial microbes in enhancing tolerance to abiotic stresses such as salinity and drought, as well as in suppressing biotic stresses including fungal pathogens and insect pests. In particular, we encourage research on microbial induction of plant defense pathways, such as induced systemic resistance (ISR), especially in the context of reducing chemical pesticide use in both organic and conventional agriculture.
Submissions focusing on microbial bioremediation or the indirect benefits of microbial inoculants in reducing crop exposure to contaminants (e.g., heavy metals, pesticide residues, micro- and nano-plastics) are also welcome.
Additionally, this Special Issue encourages research on regenerative and sustainable horticultural practices that modulate or restore rhizosphere and soil microbiome functionality, thereby improving crop performance and ecosystem resilience over time.
We invite original research articles, field studies, reviews, and meta-analyses addressing plant–microbiome interactions, microbiome engineering, biofortification, or post-harvest microbial safety. By addressing both plant health and consumer safety, this Special Issue aims to highlight the pivotal role of microbes in delivering safe, nutritious, and resilient horticultural products.
Dr. Gabriele Bellotti
Dr. Gyöngyvér Mara
Dr. Filippo Vaccari
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. Horticulturae 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 2200 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
- plant inoculants
- soil microbiome engineering
- sustainable crop production
- post-harvest microbial safety
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