About this Research Topic
Plant pathogens pose a serious threat to crop production worldwide and cause significant annual yield loss. Chemical control measures are used to combat these pathogens. However, due to the high environmental toxicity produced by pesticides, as well as the evolution of resistant pathogens, there has been a growing trend toward the utilization of microbial communities as sustainable approaches to disease resistance. The ecosystem comprises a myriad of microorganisms that co-exist with plants and constitute the plant microbiome. These microorganisms include bacteria, archaebacteria, fungi, nematodes, oomycetes, viruses, etc. The interface of plants with microorganisms can result in mutualism, commensalism, or pathogenic interaction. Within a microbial community, there is a constant flux in the diversity of microbiota where the population can be dynamically altered due to intraspecific competition. Microbiota produce certain toxins, metabolites, and growth-promoting substances that can either be harmful or beneficial to the growth of coexisting microorganisms.
There have been widespread conscious efforts that aim to utilize biological control measures to control plant diseases. Microbes can be used to promote plant growth and deter the growth of pathogenic microorganisms. It is challenging to use a particular microbial population, since the predominance of certain microbiota within a microbial community governs the nature of the microbiome and can result in either growth promotion or reduction. Moreover, several microbes can prevent the growth of other microorganisms but can themselves be pathogenic to plants. In the omics era, it has become straightforward to identify and study microbial genes that can deter the growth of harmful pathogens. The induction of such genes from a certain microbe in susceptible plants could confer resistance against a wide range of microbes, and even prevent any harmful effects due to direct microbe application.
We welcome all kinds of research articles including original research, reviews, and short communications that would address (but are not limited to) the following themes:
• Understanding how host microbiome inhibits pathogen colonization in plants
• Harnessing microbial resources for enhancing disease resistance
• Evolution of antimicrobial traits in plant associated microbes
• Manipulating host genetic circuit to promote growth of beneficial microbes and prevent growth of pathogens.
• Methods for application of the antimicrobial proteins/compounds to control plant diseases
There have been widespread conscious efforts that aim to utilize biological control measures to control plant diseases. Microbes can be used to promote plant growth and deter the growth of pathogenic microorganisms. It is challenging to use a particular microbial population, since the predominance of certain microbiota within a microbial community governs the nature of the microbiome and can result in either growth promotion or reduction. Moreover, several microbes can prevent the growth of other microorganisms but can themselves be pathogenic to plants. In the omics era, it has become straightforward to identify and study microbial genes that can deter the growth of harmful pathogens. The induction of such genes from a certain microbe in susceptible plants could confer resistance against a wide range of microbes, and even prevent any harmful effects due to direct microbe application.
We welcome all kinds of research articles including original research, reviews, and short communications that would address (but are not limited to) the following themes:
• Understanding how host microbiome inhibits pathogen colonization in plants
• Harnessing microbial resources for enhancing disease resistance
• Evolution of antimicrobial traits in plant associated microbes
• Manipulating host genetic circuit to promote growth of beneficial microbes and prevent growth of pathogens.
• Methods for application of the antimicrobial proteins/compounds to control plant diseases
Keywords: microbiome, phytopathogens, crop plants, ecosystem, disease resistance
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
