Microbial Metabolites for Plant Performance and Food Quality

Dear Colleagues,

The metabolomic response of plants to agricultural practices and environmental constraints, both abiotic and biotic, is largely dependent on an integrated pathway through soil–plant–microbial relationships occurring either with the rhizospheric or the endophytic microbiomes. These complex and multifaceted relations drive the variations in the metabolic profile of agricultural products, which can impact plant resilience against stresses as well as the final quality of produce, including the imprint of the geographical origin on product metabolomics. Microbial metabolic pathways also have a pivotal role in the quality of processed plant products within the agro-industrial value chains. In particular, yeasts and bacteria can shape the olfactory profile of fermented foods and beverages both directly and indirectly by the production of key secondary metabolites or the transformation of aromatic precursors present in the raw materials. These changes in volatilome composition are also crucial in orienting consumer’s preferences. It appears clear that microbial metabolites are relevant to various fields related to soil and plant research such as plant physiology, soil ecology, biofertilization, bioprotection, and food quality and processing, which can also have a direct link to the human microbiome and its impact on human wellbeing.

This Special Issue will highlight the use of metabolomics in soil–plant–microbe interactions, including, but not limited to, the identification of biomarkers, interdisciplinary studies, bioinformatics, and methodological advancements. We also welcome review papers and perspective contributions useful to improve our understanding of the microbial-mediated link from soil and plant to food quality within a wide system perspective.

Dr. Maria Teresa Dell'Abate
Dr. Eligio Malusá
Dr. Maurizio Petrozziello
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 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.

• Microbiome
• Secondary plant metabolites
• Volatile organic compounds
• Soil microbial ecology
• Fertilization
• Food quality
• Metabolite profiling