REVIEW article
Front. Microbiol.
Sec. Microbe and Virus Interactions with Plants
Microbial signaling and pest control in a medicinal plant: insights into insect, fungus, plant interactions
Provisionally accepted
Chao Zhang1Yinna Li1Jing He1Xiaodan Si2Linjie Zhao1Yeyun Wang1Chenyu Yang1Hongliang Wang1
Songwei Li1*- 1Henan Institute of Science and Technology, Xinxiang, China
- 2Xinxiang County Agricultural Technology Extension Station, Xinxiang, China
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Tri-trophic interactions are dynamic relationships between plants, herbivores, and natural enemies and such interactions play important roles in agricultural ecosystems with regard to crop health, such as in the case of Aloe vera crops. A. vera is an agriculturally and medicinally important plant, known for its medicinal value and resilience in arid conditions. Herbivorous pests cause damage to the plant that allows entry of pathogens through infected parts and decreases the commercial and medicinal value of A. vera. However, there is an identified potential endophytic fungi it induces systemic resistance by eliminating pests in A. vera and enhances the plant defensive strategy against further pests and pathogens. Moreover, microbial signaling plays a crucial role in the Tri-trophic interactions via chemical signals enabling communication among plants, pests, and pathogens. Understanding further research into microbial signaling pathways is needed to improve biocontrol methods. The continued progress of biotechnology opens new ways to improve the efficiency of endophytic fungi and A. vera's pest resistance. Tri-trophic interactions created within this framework underscore the implications of its usage in pest management under conditions of ecological stress.
Keywords: Biome, Entomopathogenic fungus, medicinal plant, Micro, Microbiology, sustainable agriculture, Tri-trophic interactions
Received: 15 Dec 2025; Accepted: 26 Jan 2026.
Copyright: © 2026 Zhang, Li, He, Si, Zhao, Wang, Yang, Wang and Li. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Songwei Li
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