Climate-resilient, low-input crops: integrating stress biology and microbiome-enabled nutrient efficiency

Global agriculture faces the unprecedented dual challenge of increasing crop production to feed a growing population while mitigating environmental impacts and adapting to climate change. Low input agricultural systems, which minimize synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, rely heavily on natural soil processes and complex plant microbe interactions to maintain productivity. As climate induced abiotic stresses such as drought, extreme temperatures, and salinity become more frequent, understanding how crops naturally navigate these bottlenecks is critical. Recent advancements in multi-omics and microbial ecology have illuminated the powerful role of the plant microbiome in buffering environmental stress and unlocking vital soil nutrients.



This topic aims to explore the ecological pathways and mechanisms by which crops maintain resilience and productivity in low input Agricultural systems. We specifically seek to integrate the fields of plant stress biology and microbiome mediated nutrient acquisition. By bridging these two disciplines, we hope to highlight recent advances in how beneficial microbes (such as mycorrhizal fungi and plant growth promoting rhizobacteria) enhance crop tolerance to climate induced abiotic stresses while simultaneously improving the efficiency of nutrient uptake. The ultimate goal is to synthesize current knowledge to inform future breeding programs, bio-inoculant development, sustainable agronomic practices, and policies that rely on biological synergies rather than increased chemical inputs.



Research, Reviews, and Mini-Reviews that address the physiological, genetic, and ecological dynamics of climate resilient crops. Authors are encouraged to address the following;

1. Microbiome dynamics and assembly under abiotic stress in low-input and/or in organic farming systems.

2. Plant-microbe signaling pathways that enhance nutrient use efficiency (specifically nitrogen and phosphorus).

3. Crop breeding strategies aimed at optimizing root exudation and beneficial microbiome recruitment.

4. Multi-omics approaches (metagenomics, transcriptomics, metabolomics) deciphering plant-microbe synergies under stress.

5. Field-scale evaluations of bio-inoculants in climate-stressed environments.

6. Perspectives and directions for future studies in regards to plant-microbe interaction, microbiome breeding e.t.c

Article types and fees

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

• Community Case Study
• Conceptual Analysis
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• ... 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:

• Community Case Study
• Conceptual Analysis
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Policy and Practice Reviews
• Policy Brief
• Review
• Systematic Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: Climate resilience, Low input agriculture, Plant microbiomes, Abiotic stress, Nutrient use efficiency, Agroecology

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.