Editorial: Plant microbiome: Ecology, functions, and application trends

Plant Microbiome: Ecology, functions, and application trendsThe importance of plant-and soil-associated microbiota has been increasingly recognized in recent years.The microbiome is critical in plant development, evolution, ecology, and health, including nutrient uptake, host protection from pathogens, and abiotic stress tolerance.The microbiome community varies across plant compartments, such as soil, roots, and phyllosphere, depending on changes in their physical and chemical characteristics (Singh et al., 2020).Moreover, plant characteristics such as root and shoot morphology and anatomy can change nutrient availability and associated microbiome (Lynch, 2019).Host genetics and environmental factors greatly influence the selection and structure of the plant microbiome (Morella et al., 2020;Shamim et al., 2022).Soil geochemistry, plant genetics, and physiological response significantly influence the root microbiome (Bulgarelli et al., 2012;Lundberg et al., 2012;Schlaeppi et al., 2014;Edwards et al., 2015).Comparable effects of these factors have also been reported on the phyllosphere microbiota of the plant (Vorholt, 2012;Agler et al., 2016;Chen et al., 2020).Plants' response to global change depends on their interaction with microbiota.Studying these interactions can help develop strategies for managing soil health and combating plant diseases, which will improve crop productivity and sustainability.This Research Topic delves into various plant microbiota studies, which offer insights into the complex interactions between plants and their associated microbiota.Overall, understanding plant microbiota is crucial for developing sustainable agriculture and addressing the challenges of global change.By expanding our understanding of the complex interactions between plants and their associated microbiota, we can develop innovative solutions to enhance crop productivity, soil health, and environmental sustainability.The microbiome of natural ecosystems, such as agroecosystems, is constantly changing due to various biotic and abiotic factors.Previous research has shown the impact of soil chemistry, such as salinity, on bacterial communities in desert soil (O'Brien et al., 2019;Nan et al., 2022), but little is known about the effects of irrigation water characteristics, such Frontiers in Plant Science frontiersin.