CSIRO PUBLISHING | Functional Plant Biology

This Collection of Functional Plant Biology papers will focus on the intricate interactions between soil microbes and abiotic stress factors such as drought, salinity, and heavy metals, and their collective impact on plant root physiology, growth, and hormonal dynamics. Emphasising the role of microbial communities in enhancing plant resilience, this collection will explore mechanisms that mitigate stress responses and improve crop performance. By integrating current research on microbial-plant interactions and abiotic stress, the collection aims to advance our understanding of sustainable agricultural practices and provide insights into strategies for improving plant productivity under environmental constraints.

Collection Editors
Dr Muhammad Saqlain Zaheer (Khwaja Fareed University of Engineering and Information Technology)
Dr Hafiz Haider Ali (Government College University Lahore (GCUL))
Dr Clarisse Brígido (Universidade de Évora)
Dr Debadatta Sethi (Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology)

Last Updated: 24 Jun 2025

FP24297Enriched enzymes and crosstalking KEGG pathways in the rhizospheric soil fungiome of the wild plant Moringa oleifera

Rewaa S. Jalal

, Abeer S. Aloufi, Abeer Al-Andal

, Nahaa M. Alotaibi, Haneen W. Abuauf, Fatimah M. Alshehrei, Mohammed Y. Refai, Sahar A. Alshareef, Alaa A. Alnahari, Fatmah O. Sefrji, Abeer M. Almutrafy and Aala A. Abulfaraj

We investigate the rhizospheric mycobiome of Moringa oleifera, identifying pivotal genes encoding enzymes integral to metabolic pathways, as per KEGG. Fungal taxa from Mucoromycota and Zoopagomycota, including Rhizophagus and Mucor ambiguus, harbour enzymes crucial for metabolic, genetic and environmental processes. These enzymes facilitate the biosynthesis of metabolites such as acetyl-CoA and isoleucine essential for DNA repair, energy metabolism and membrane integrity. We underscore the symbiotic relationship between fungal enzymes and Moringa roots, optimising nutrient acquisition and energy provisioning.

This article belongs to the collection: Soil Microbiome and Abiotic Stress Tolerance in Plants.

FP24273Iodine application induces the antioxidant defense system, alleviates salt stress, reduces nitrate content, and increases the nutritional value of lettuce plants

Osama Abdelsalam Shalaby

Iodine application reduced the deleterious effects of salinity on lettuce. Iodine affects plants in a dose-dependent manner, with low doses stimulating but high doses inhibiting. Iodine spray increased the activity of enzymatic and nonenzymatic antioxidants. Plants treated with iodine showed reduced toxic compounds such as H₂O₂ and malondialdehyde. Lettuce plants sprayed with iodine showed improved nutritional status and increased photosynthetic pigments. Iodine addition increased lettuce growth and yield while reducing its nitrate content

This article belongs to the collection: Soil Microbiome and Abiotic Stress Tolerance in Plants.

FP24277Assessing the synergistic effects of biochar, hydrogel and biofertilizer on growth and physiological traits of wheat in saline environments

Dilfuza Jabborova, Zafarjon Jabbarov, Tokhtasin Abdrakhmanov, Orzubek Fayzullaev, Baljeet Singh Saharan, Kahkashan Perveen, Syed Muhammad Zaka, Andrea Mastinu and Riyaz Sayyed

Excess amounts of salts used in agriculture lead to deterioration of crop growth and yield. This problem requires urgent, sustainable resolution. The use of soil microorganisms not only reduces salt levels but helps plants to grow under such stress. Our study revealed that applying soil microorganisms significantly improved the growth and yield of wheat under salt stress, and also enhanced soil fertility.

This article belongs to the collection: Soil Microbiome and Abiotic Stress Tolerance in Plants.