Western Sydney University researchers have discovered that drought-affected wheat plants are able to call on eco-friendly soil bacteria to survive, helping keep crops healthy, boost yields, and provide pathways to develop extreme weather-resistant crops.
The study, published today in the Cell Host & Microbe journal, revealed that when wheat faces drought, it produces natural compounds called 4-oxoproline around its roots, which send out chemical signals to attract specialized friendly soil bacteria, including Streptomyces and Leifsonia species.
The drought-fighting soil microbes then produce beneficial compounds including osmolytes, plant hormones, and nutrient solubilizers that enhance the ability of the plant to resist drought and continue to grow.
When the research team reintroduced the helpful microbes to wheat plants in dry soils, the plants grew bigger, stayed healthier, and produced more grain, even in the next generation of crops.
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