Plant-Microbe Interactions in Forests

A special issue of Forests (ISSN 1999-4907). This special issue belongs to the section "Forest Ecophysiology and Biology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 November 2022) | Viewed by 3551

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Forest Ecology and Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SE-901 87 Umeå, Sweden
Interests: plant–microbe interaction; nutrient exchange between fungi and root; metagenomics; plant physiology under stress
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Guest Editor
Central Pulp and Paper Research Institute (CPPRI), Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India
Interests: plant-microbe interactions; biosensors; microbial interactions in paper derived from trees; assessment of wood properties and microbial load; bio-cellulose production

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Microorganisms have huge diversity inhabiting soil and plants/trees in an ecosystem. Forests exist in incredibly dynamic and complex ecological systems that comprise numerous interactions between microorganisms and plants. Such interactions can be either beneficial or harmful, which can influence the yield and sustainability of forests. Considering the importance of forestry in terms of environment, biodiversity, products, industries, and economy, it is essential to understand the multifaceted and wide plant-microbe interactions both below and aboveground.

Hence, this Special Issue will include articles on (but not limited to) mycorrhizae interactions in trees/plants, bacterial symbiosis, nutrient regulations under plant-microbe interactions, mechanisms influencing plant growth under such associations, pathogenic microbes in forests, and regulation of the nutrient cycle and forest management activities for sustainability.

Dr. Kanchan Vishwakarma
Dr. Nitin Kumar
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Forests is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • mycorrhiza
  • bacteria
  • plants
  • sustainability
  • plant–microbe interactions
  • forests
  • nutrient regulation
  • pathogens

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

13 pages, 2984 KiB  
Article
Comparison of Endophytic and Epiphytic Microbial Communities in Surviving and Dead Korean Fir (Abies koreana) Using Metagenomic Sequencing
by Bae Young Choi, Suhyeon Lee, Jaewook Kim, Hyeonseon Park, Joon-Hyeok Kim, Minji Kim, Soo-Je Park, Ki-Tae Kim, Hojin Ryu and Donghwan Shim
Forests 2022, 13(11), 1932; https://doi.org/10.3390/f13111932 - 16 Nov 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1725
Abstract
Plant endophyte and epiphyte communities cooperatively interact with their host plants and play crucial roles in sustaining plant fitness. In Korea, a variety of studies have been conducted to elucidate the reasons for the declining population of the endangered Korean fir (Abies [...] Read more.
Plant endophyte and epiphyte communities cooperatively interact with their host plants and play crucial roles in sustaining plant fitness. In Korea, a variety of studies have been conducted to elucidate the reasons for the declining population of the endangered Korean fir (Abies koreana), but the relationship between microbiota and the healthy condition of trees remains unclear. Here, we conducted bacterial 16S rRNA gene and fungal ITS sequence analyses to dissect the composition of endophytic and epiphytic microbiota in both live and dead trees located in the same Mt. Jiri habitat. In the live trees, the bacterial class Armatimonadia and the lichenized fungi groups were significantly dominant, whereas many bacterial and fungal taxa mainly found in rotten wood were enriched in the dead trees. Functional prediction of the microbial communities in live trees suggested the possibility that bacterial endophytes and epiphytes play a role in inorganic nutrient metabolism and fungal endophytes and epiphytes produce biologically active secondary metabolites, thereby contributing to the healthy condition of Korean fir trees. The ecological function of endophytes and epiphytes in dead trees was predicted to be involved in the decomposition of wood for nutrient recycling. Our analyses revealed a distinct difference in microbial communities depending on the health condition of Korean fir trees. The results from this study would be useful for understanding the ecological function of endophytic and epiphytic microorganisms to conserve and manage this endangered species from ecologically vulnerable environments. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant-Microbe Interactions in Forests)
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13 pages, 2259 KiB  
Article
Populus tremula × P. alba Microshoot Secondary Metabolism Response after Paenibacillus sp. Inoculation In Vitro
by Dorotėja Vaitiekūnaitė, Greta Striganavičiūtė, Valeriia Mishcherikova and Vaida Sirgedaitė-Šėžienė
Forests 2022, 13(10), 1702; https://doi.org/10.3390/f13101702 - 16 Oct 2022
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Abstract
Bacterial biostimulants are an eco-friendly alternative to chemical fertilizers. However, before their introduction into open ecosystems, broad-scope studies need to be carried out. Paenibacillus sp. was shown to positively affect poplar root growth. It was hypothesized that alongside these improvements, the Paenibacillus sp. [...] Read more.
Bacterial biostimulants are an eco-friendly alternative to chemical fertilizers. However, before their introduction into open ecosystems, broad-scope studies need to be carried out. Paenibacillus sp. was shown to positively affect poplar root growth. It was hypothesized that alongside these improvements, the Paenibacillus sp. inoculant may affect its host’s secondary metabolism. Populus tremula × P. alba microshoots were inoculated in vitro. Microshoots were tested for chlorophyll, carotenoid, total flavonoid (TFC), total phenol content (TPC) and free radical scavenging capacity during primary growth after 4, 6 and 8 weeks. The results showed that the inoculation decreased shoot phenolics and free radical scavenging capacity after 6 and 8 weeks. Chlorophyll b amounts increased after 6 and 8 weeks. Carotenoid content decreased after 6 weeks, while chlorophyll a and carotenoid levels increased after 8 weeks. Correlation and principal component analyses showed that the inoculant changed the way in which the photosynthesis pigment content relates to TPC, TFC and radical scavenging activity. Overall, these data suggest that the inoculant does statistically significantly affect Populus tree secondary metabolism in the later stages of the initial growth period. This effect may potentially be compensatory in nature. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant-Microbe Interactions in Forests)
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