Special Issue Information

Plant microbial interactions can be done through various numbers of direct and indirect mechanisms such as nutrient transfer (stemming from vitamin or siderophore production; enzymatic decomposition of litter in soil; atmospheric nitrogen fixation; conversion of inorganic minerals to soluble components, especially phosphorous), direct stimulation of growth via phytohormones such as indole acetic acid and ethylene, mitigation of salt stress, and antagonism toward pathogenic microorganisms. Microbial diversity has been directly linked to above-ground diversity in a number of agricultural, horticultural, and natural settings. Diverse components released by different parts of the root system create a wonderful and unique environment in the surrounding soil, which is known as the rhizosphere. These components are termed as root exudates and belong to three main groups: high-molecular weight, low-molecular weight, and volatile organic compounds. The types of microorganisms within a rhizosphere include fungi, bacteria, algae, and actinomycetes. Microorganisms and their products also influence the roots in a variety of negative, positive, and neutral ways. Interestingly, microbial density was proved to non-linearly influence plant production, while increasing microbial density has been shown to boost plant biomass. Microorganisms take an active role in the growth of specific species using hormone production, as indoleacetic acid, or indole-3-acetic acid, is a plant hormone produced in the apex or buds and new leaves of young plants. In addition to decreasing stress effects, plant–microbial interactions affect the plant disease state or diversity of soil pathogens. Free-living microbes including filamentous fungi of the genus Trichoderma and a variety of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) are able to suppress soil-borne plant pathogens and stimulate plant growth by various direct or indirect mechanisms, such as production of mycoparasitism, phytohormones, and competence with plant pathogens; decomposition; and mineralization of organic matter and increasing the bioavailability of mineral nutrients such as iron and phosphorus. This Special Issue focuses on the functions and roles of different types of microbes and their interactions with plants through a number of direct or indirect mechanisms, as well as how plant–microbe interactions act on plant growth, what mechanisms they use to survive under stressful environmental conditions, and how the interactions and abiotic parameters can interfere with the success of microbial inoculation in plants, acting as a basis for studies on plant–microorganism interactions. When the underlying mechanisms of plant–microbe interactions are properly investigated, modulation, manipulation, and inoculation strategies can be developed to realize crop growth, increased yield, and pathogen control.

Dr. Wenli Sun Prof. Dr. Yansu Li Dr. Mohamad Hesam Shahrajabian Guest Editors

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Keywords

• microbial–horticultural plant interactions
• mutual assistance and competition among rhizosphere microorganisms
• nutrient exchange
• plant hormone
• root exudates
• soil microenvironment
• stress inhibition
• antagonism
• growth-promoting microorganism
• rhizosphere microbial action
• fungal community
• actinomyces
• bacterial community
• organic cultivation
• green agriculture
• medicinal plants, chinese medicines and natural products

(( https://www.mdpi.com/journal/horticulturae/special_issues/SCQE0M8S50 ))