Redefining Plant Health: Multi-Kingdom Pathobiome Interactions and Their Impact on Disease Resilience

In recent years, the study of plant health has extended beyond the individual organism to encompass the complex interactions within the pathobiome—a collective community involving multiple kingdoms that include plants, bacteria, fungi, viruses, and other microorganisms. A major focus in this domain is to understand how these interactions either exacerbate or mitigate plant diseases. Current research efforts are dynamic, investigating the multifaceted relationships within pathobiomes and seeking to elucidate their roles in influencing plant resilience or susceptibility to pathogens. Despite advancements in dissecting these interactions, significant gaps remain in our understanding of the underlying mechanisms and the potential for leveraging pathobiome dynamics to enhance plant disease resilience.

This Research Topic aims to explore the intricate relationships within multi-kingdom pathobiomes and their influences on disease resilience in plants. The objective is to uncover the specific interactions that either promote plant health or contribute to vulnerability to diseases. Critical questions include deciphering the key drivers of pathobiome composition, understanding how shifts in microbial communities affect plant defenses, and identifying components of the pathobiome that can be harnessed for biocontrol strategies. The research will also test hypotheses around the co-evolutionary dynamics between plant hosts and microbial communities.

To gather further insights into the complex interactions within multi-kingdom pathobiomes, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:

- The role of microbial diversity in plant disease resistance
- Mechanisms of interaction between plant hosts and microbial communities
- Influence of environmental factors on pathobiome composition and function
- Innovative strategies for manipulating pathobiomes to boost plant health
- Case studies on specific plant-pathobiome interactions and their outcomes

We encourage original research, review articles, and methodological papers that contribute to a robust understanding of how pathobiomes can be leveraged to redefine plant health.

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Policy and Practice Reviews
• Review
• Systematic Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: pathobiome, multi-kingdom interactions, plant disease resilience, microbial diversity, biocontrol strategies

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.