The Paths of Plant Pathogens—Interactions with Host and Nonhosts and Insight of Mechanisms of Pathogenesis

Dear Colleagues,

Plant diseases, caused by pathogenic microbes and parasitic plants, are considered major problem leading to great yield and economical loses. Of serious interest during recent decades are the interactions between phytopathogenic microbes and animal cross-over pathogens, and their hosts and nonhosts, as well as their ability to jump between them. For some pathogens, the host range is well studied, while for others it is not. Unexpected pathogenic microorganisms can be found in unusual places and the questions is can they switch to a pathogenic life cycle in nonhosts. Knowledge regarding the molecular mechanisms microbes use to infect hosts and nonhosts, or simply to use plants as natural reservoirs, must be obtained and summarized in order for threats for the environment to be established and managed. Moreover, it is proposed that animal pathogens inhabit plants as an obligatory stage of their life cycle. Thus, can the plant environment play a key role and stimulate the pathogen to switch into a pathogenic cycle even if it is not its natural host? However, microbes are capable to adapt to new environmental niches. This Special Issue is focused on the prevalence and the ability of pathogenic organisms to moderate their mechanisms in order to expand the numbers of their potential hosts.

Original research articles, review articles and case studies concerning these main topics will be considered. However, other closely related studies in the field are also welcomed. Several topics will be covered, including, but not limited to:

• Biodiversity of plant pathogenic microbiome (bacteria, fungi, bacteriophages, etc.);
• Interactions between plants and their pathogens (microorganisms and parasitic plants);
• Immune response of plants to pathogens;
• Pathogenic potential of cross-over pathogens;
• Plants as reservoirs and potential new hosts.

Dr. Yoana Kizheva
Prof. Dr. Petya Hristova
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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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. Pathogens 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.

• phytopathogenic microbes
• plant immune response
• cross-over pathogens
• pathogenic potential of plant microbiome
• new hosts of pathogens
• natural reservoirs of pathogens