Global Exploration Of Drought-Tolerant Bacteria In Wheat Rhizosphere Reveals Microbiota Shifts And Functional Taxa Enhancing Plant Resilience

In a study published in Nature Food, a research team led by Prof. CHEN Qinglin from the Institute of Urban Environment (IUE) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences revealed that drought-induced changes in wheat metabolites selectively enrich drought-tolerant bacteria (DTB) in the rhizosphere, and these bacteria promote plant growth as well as enhance drought resilience through key functional traits.

Drought is one of the most severe abiotic stresses threatening global agriculture, with its frequency and intensity projected to increase in the coming century. Traditional crop improvement approaches, which often rely on genetic modification or domestication of high-yield varieties, are costly and time-consuming. Harnessing plant-associated microbiomes offers a complementary solution for enhancing crop drought tolerance.

In this study, to identify the active DTB in the rhizosphere, researchers developed a strategy which integrates a functional single-cell method with multi-omics analyses. This strategy enabled the in situ detection of functionally active microbial populations, advancing the understanding of how plant-microbe interactions contribute to drought resilience.

Researchers identified 21 key DTB taxa with unique drought-response capabilities critical for plant fitness, including the synthesis of indole-3-acetic acid, siderophores, and osmolytes. Inoculation experiments showed that using synthetic communities (SynCom) composed of these bacteria significantly improved wheat growth under drought conditions.

Furthermore, by integrating global-scale metadata, researchers revealed that these active DTB are widely distributed across diverse environments. Their conserved metabolic capacities illustrated universal microbial strategies for coping with drought stress and maintaining ecosystem function.

"Our work represents an important step toward utilizing microbial resources and processes to enhance crop resilience in the face of climate change," said Prof. CHEN, the corresponding author of the study. This study provides new insights into plant-microbe interactions under drought conditions, and demonstrates the potential of microbiome-based solutions for improving crop performance and ensuring food security.