ABSTRACT
At the core of agro-environmental science, plant–microbe interaction in the environment exists in a dynamic state at the cellular, organismal, and community levels. Whether it is a germinating pathogen, spore infecting plant tissue, root colonization by specialized beneficial microbes – such as rhizobia – or microbiome constitution/activity in crop fields, the prevailing environmental circumstances exert considerable influence on the eventual outcomes within the spectrum of possibilities. This chapter introduces the environmental control of plant–microbe interaction with its importance and some general principles, for both beneficial and pathogenic interactions. Illustrative to these, it also discusses the influence of environmental variables such as temperature, atmospheric CO2, nutrients, moisture, light, salinity, biological agents, pesticides, and some farming practices. Perspectives for application in current and future problem-solving is included.
