Plant-Microbe Interactions Under Abiotic Stress: Mechanisms, Adaptations, and Applications in Horticultural Crops

Abiotic stresses such as drought, salinity, extreme temperatures, and nutrient deficiencies are major constraints to horticultural productivity and sustainability worldwide. These stressors disrupt plant physiological functions, limit growth, and reduce yield and quality. In response, plants have evolved complex interactions with beneficial microbes, particularly in the rhizosphere and endosphere, that help them adapt to adverse environmental conditions. Microorganisms such as plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, and endophytes play critical roles in enhancing plant tolerance through diverse mechanisms, including stress hormone modulation, improved nutrient uptake, and antioxidant activity. Despite growing recognition of these beneficial associations, the functional mechanisms and practical applications in horticultural systems remain underexplored. This Research Topic aims to highlight recent advances in understanding plant-microbe interactions under abiotic stress and their potential for sustainable horticultural practices.



Abiotic stress conditions—such as salinity, drought, extreme temperatures, and nutrient limitations—pose a significant threat to horticultural crop productivity and quality. These challenges are expected to intensify with climate change, calling for sustainable and innovative approaches to improve crop resilience. One promising solution lies in harnessing the potential of beneficial plant-associated microbes, which can enhance plant stress tolerance by modulating physiological, biochemical, and molecular responses. However, despite encouraging experimental results, many questions remain regarding the consistency, mechanisms, and application of these plant-microbe interactions across different environments and crop species.



This Research Topic aims to gather cutting-edge research and comprehensive reviews that explore the roles, mechanisms, and practical applications of microbial communities in helping plants cope with abiotic stresses. By advancing our understanding of these complex interactions, the collection will promote the development of microbial-based strategies, bioformulations, and integrated management practices to support sustainable horticulture. Contributions from multiple disciplines—plant physiology, microbiology, genomics, soil science—are encouraged to provide a holistic perspective.



This Research Topic welcomes original research, reviews, mini-reviews, methods, and perspectives focused on plant-microbe interactions under abiotic stress conditions in horticultural crops. We aim to highlight studies that explore the physiological, molecular, and biochemical mechanisms through which microbes—such as rhizobacteria, endophytes, and mycorrhizal fungi—enhance plant tolerance to various abiotic stresses, including but not limited to drought, salinity, extreme temperatures, and nutrient deficiencies.



Authors are encouraged to contribute work related to:



1. Functional and omics-based analyses of stress-resilient plant-microbe systems



2. Microbial consortia and bioinoculants for stress mitigation



3. Soil and rhizosphere microbiome dynamics under abiotic stress



4. Host genotype and microbiome interactions



5. Translational research for field application and sustainable practices



We particularly welcome interdisciplinary studies that bridge basic and applied science and promote microbial-based innovations in stress-resilient horticulture.

Article types and fees

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

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Classification
• Clinical Trial
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• ... 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
• Case Report
• Classification
• Clinical Trial
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Review
• Systematic Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: Plant-microbe symbiosis, Abiotic stress tolerance, Rhizosphere microbiome, Stress mitigation, Microbial inoculants

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.