Dear Colleagues,

Environmental stresses such as heat, drought, salt and pathogens can negatively affect plant growth and productivity. Therefore, new strategies are needed for improving resistance and tolerance in crops. Plant growth and survival depend on the ability to respond to the stress stimulus, produce a signal, and trigger suitable biochemical and physiological changes. Mechanisms that protect against biotic and abiotic stresses are essential for plant survival. However, the activation of such mechanisms generally comes at the expense of growth and productivity, which is of particular concern for agriculture. Various biochemical, physiological, and molecular mechanisms in plants, as well as microorganisms and nanotechnology, play an important role in combating environmental stress and imparting resistance in plants.

Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) and endophytic fungi also play a significant role in mitigating abiotic stresses in plants. These microorganisms can be used as biofertilizers for improving agricultural production, even under stressful environmental conditions. The interplay between phytohormones and beneficial microorganisms plays a vital role in the stress resistance of plants. Beneficial microbes also induce changes in the plant metabolome and upregulate the expression of stress-responsive secondary metabolites. These metabolites have key roles in the biochemical processes of organisms and are part of a rapidly growing technology for the investigation of stress tolerance mechanisms.

A better understanding of the molecular mechanism of stress tolerance in plants, of the interaction and independence of PGPR action, and of hormonal crosstalk under stress is essential for improved agricultural production. This Special Issue aims to collect research papers and reviews that promote the aforementioned aspects of plant growth and development under stress.

Dr. Naeem Khan
Guest Editor