Call for papers - Soil-plant-microbiota interactions in global food systems

Guest Editors

Amjad Masood Husaini, PhD, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir, India
Daniel Munyao Mutyambai, PhD, International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology, Kenya

Submission Status: Open | Submission Deadline: 18 July 2025

BMC Agriculture is welcoming submissions to a new Collection on Soil-plant-microbiota interactions in global food systems. This Collection seeks to highlight research that explores microbial diversity in soil-plant systems, the role of microbiota in enhancing plant resilience, and the development of microbial-based solutions for sustainable agriculture. By improving our understanding of these interactions, this Collection aims to inform strategies for optimizing agricultural productivity, promoting food security, and promoting environmental sustainability.

New Content Item This Collection supports and amplifies research related to SDG 2: Zero Hunger and SDG 15: Life on Land.

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Meet the Guest Editors

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Amjad Masood Husaini, PhD, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir, India

Dr Amjad Masood Husaini is a Professor-cum-Chief Scientist in Plant Biotechnology at SKUAST-Kashmir, J&K, India. He was a visiting Scientist at the Sustainable Agricultural Systems Lab, USDA, Beltsville, USA and the Department of Plant Sciences, University of Oxford, UK. He holds a PhD in Biotechnology and PG Diploma in Bioinformatics, besides certificates in diverse research, teaching and management fields like Intellectual Property Rights (ILI, New Delhi), Remote Sensing Applications in Agriculture (IARI-ISRO), Bioinformatics for Protein Biology (EMBL-EBI), Specialized University Course for Oxford Professors (ILI, Oxford), Advanced techno-management for Scientists (ASCI, Hyderabad). Dr Husaini also specializes in genome editing, climate-smart agriculture, participatory plant breeding, etc. He has received many national and international awards and published over 100 articles in internationally reputed journals, and has edited five books. He is an acclaimed expert on saffron.

Daniel Munyao Mutyambai, PhD, International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology, Kenya

Dr Daniel Mutyambai is a research scientist at the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology. He obtained his PhD from Northwest University, South Africa in Entomology and Chemical Ecology, MSc in Agricultural Entomology from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Kenya and BSc in basic sciences (Biology/Chemistry) from Maseno University, Kenya. He undertook postdoctoral research at Cornell University, USA and Rothamsted Research, UK. Dr Mutyambai’s research interests are in agroecology and sustainable agriculture. He conducts research on ecological interactions involving plant-soil feedbacks, plant signaling, and plant-insect pests-microbes multitrophic interactions in polyculture systems and how they can be utilized in developing sustainable farming systems.

About the Collection

BMC Agriculture is welcoming submissions to a new Collection on Soil-plant-microbiota interactions in global food systems. The complex relationships between soil, plants, and their associated microbiota have far-reaching implications for agricultural productivity, food security, and environmental sustainability. Understanding the dynamic interplay among these components will help optimize crop production, enhance soil health, and mitigate the impacts of climate change on food systems.

In recent years, significant progress has been made in dissecting the complex mechanisms underlying plant-microbiota interactions. This has led to the development of sustainable agricultural practices, such as precision farming, cover cropping, and biofertilization. Moreover, research has shed light on the role of microbiota in enhancing plant resilience to biotic and abiotic stresses, thereby contributing to the sustainability of food production. The integration of microbiota-focused strategies into precision agriculture and the exploration of microbiota-mediated climate-resilient crops are promising avenues for future research.

This Collection invites contributions on a number of topics, including but not limited to:

•Microbial diversity in soil-plant systems
• Soil structure and function: role of microbiome in soil aggregation, water retention/drainage and carbon sequestration
• Plant health and disease resistance: role of microbiota in plant resilience to environmental stresses
• Microbiome engineering: integration of microbiota-focused strategies into precision agriculture and crop breeding
• The role of microbiota in nutrient cycling and soil fertility

This Collection supports and amplifies research related to SDG 2: Zero Hunger and SDG 15: Life on Land.

There are currently no articles in this collection.

Submission Guidelines

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This Collection welcomes submission of original Research Articles. Should you wish to submit a different article type, please read our submission guidelines to confirm that type is accepted by the journal. Articles for this Collection should be submitted via our submission system, Snapp. During the submission process you will be asked whether you are submitting to a Collection, please select "Soil-plant-microbiota interactions in global food systems" from the dropdown menu.

Articles will undergo the journal’s standard peer-review process and are subject to all of the journal’s standard policies. Articles will be added to the Collection as they are published.

The Editors have no competing interests with the submissions which they handle through the peer review process. The peer review of any submissions for which the Editors have competing interests is handled by another Editorial Board Member who has no competing interests.