Microbial Populations and Their Interactions in Agroecosystems: Diversity, Function and Ecology

Dear Colleagues,

Agroecosystems are affected directly or indirectly by biotic and abiotic factors, which influence crop growth. The microbiome associated with the soil and crop are the central entities that play vital roles in fundamental ecological processes. Factors such as temperature, precipitation, and biotic factors influence agroecosystems and the microbiome associated with them. As the repository of nutrients and essential elements in the ecosystem, soil plays a crucial role in nutrient and essential mineral supplementation to plants.

Furthermore, it is essential and important to understand the ecological mechanisms and significance of microbial communities with respect to different agroclimatic zones, including the interaction of crops with both biotic and abiotic factors. Microbiome engineering seeks to improve the function of an ecosystem by manipulating the composition of microbes to make agriculture more sustainable. Microbial groups such as methylotrophs, methanotrophs, ammonia-oxidizing bacteria, phosphate-solubilizing bacteria, phytohormone-producing microbes, nitrogen-fixing bacteria, exopolysaccharide-producing bacteria, CO₂-fixing microbes, and largely plant-growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) have beneficial a interaction with crops in rhizosphere, phyllosphere, and endospheric regions of plants. The keystone taxa associated with every crop-specific microbiome requires an in-depth analysis in order to better understand them.

The proposed Special Issue is intended to enhance the current understanding and knowledge of ecosystem functioning, fundamental ecological processes that govern microbiomes assembly, microbial diversity, dynamics of soil–plant–microbe interaction, along with their impact on agroecosystems with respect to varied agroclimatic zones.

SCOPE

Microbial communities and their abundance in agricultural fields depend on a range of factors such as geography, seasons, organic and conventional farming systems, and the microbial populations associated with the plant endosphere, rhizosphere, and phyllosphere. The microbial abundance and predominant genera in agroecosystems influence ecology and crop growth positively. The effect of various biotic and abiotic factors on microbial populations may provide a better understanding and insight at the genetic and metabolome level. These core investigations provide a direct understanding of plant and rhizospheric microbiomes and their effects on plant productivity in various agroecological zones.

In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following:

• Soil microbial communities and plant interaction in diverse agroecosystems;
• Microbial dynamics in root rhizosphere and biotic stress tolerance;
• Microbial dynamics in root rhizosphere and abiotic stress tolerance;
• Microbial dynamics in phyllosphere and biotic stress tolerance;
• Microbial dynamics in phyllosphere and abiotic stress tolerance;
• Microbes and plant nutrient use efficiency;
• Microbiome engineering to make agroecosystem sustainable;
• Microbial genomics of agroecosystems;
• Computational approaches to study sustainable agroecosystems;
• Microbial proteomics of agroecosystems;
• Endophytic microbiomes in sustainable agriculture;
• Effect of agricultural practices on microbial composition and dynamics;
• Effect of microbial inoculants or consortia in agroecosystem;
• Multi-omics approaches to understand the composition and function of soil microbiome;
• Methylotrophs/methanotrophs interaction with plants;
• Role of pesticide-degrading microbial communities in agroecosystems.

I look forward to receiving your contributions.

Prof. Dr. Diby Paul
Guest Editor

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• rhizobacteria
• microbial dynamics
• agroecosystems
• microbial communities
• plant stress tolerance
• beneficial soil microorganisms