Plant Microbiomes in a Changing World: Adaptation, Resilience, and Applications

The role of plant microbiomes in plant adaptation, resilience, and disease protection is currently gaining increasing recognition. Plant-associated microbial communities are essential for enhancing nutrient uptake, bolstering stress tolerance (e.g., drought, salinity), and safeguarding plants against pathogens. With ongoing global environmental changes, such as climate variability, land-use shifts, and escalating anthropogenic pressures, the dynamics of plant-microbe interactions are experiencing profound transformations. Recent studies have revealed intricate mechanisms by which these microbial communities respond and adapt to environmental fluctuations, yet significant gaps remain in comprehensively understanding these interactions and translating findings into practical strategies for enhancing agricultural sustainability and ecosystem health.

This Research Topic aims to illuminate the latest advances in understanding plant microbiomes, with a focus on microbial community responses to environmental changes and their contributions to plant resilience (e.g., nitrogen fixation) to help mitigate abiotic and biotic stresses. The key objectives are to explore microbial adaptation mechanisms, uncover dynamics of plant-associated microbiomes in extreme conditions, assess the functional resilience of microbial collectives, and investigate the application of synthetic microbiomes for promoting sustainable agriculture to improve plant health and yield. This Research Topic seeks to bridge existing disciplinary divides, fostering microbiome-based innovative solutions for creating climate-smart agriculture and developing climate-resilient crop systems.

To gather further insights into plant-microbiome interactions amid a changing global environment, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:

o Adaptation mechanisms of plant-associated microbial symbioses in response to climate change
o Dynamics of plant-associated microbiomes in extreme conditions
o Functional resilience and stability of plant-associated microbial symbioses
o Applications of synthetic and engineered plant-microbe symbioses in sustainable agriculture
o Integration of molecular ecology, microbial genomics, and applied microbiology in plant systems
o Plant-microbiome co-adaptation strategies in changing ecosystems

We invite original research, comprehensive reviews, and perspective pieces that emphasize interdisciplinary approaches, integrating molecular ecology with practical applications for ecosystem management. This collection is designed to advance knowledge in creating resilient agricultural systems through informed manipulation and understanding of plant microbiomes.

Keywords: Plant microbiomes, Microbial symbioses, Environmental adaptation, Climate resilience, Plant-microbe interactions, Sustainable agriculture, Microbial community dynamics, Microbial adaptation, Synthetic microbiomes, Stress tolerance

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.