Tropical Plants Beat Drought by Interacting with Specific Microbes

When drought occurs with climate change, plants are forced to make changes that affects soil organic matter in the soil around plant roots, or the rhizosphere.

Researchers from the University of Arizona and the Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, a Department of Energy user facility, recently examined how three tropical plants interact with the microbes in the rhizosphere during drought. The team discovered that even during times of drought that plants can maintain specific microbe partnerships, revealing a new level of resilience.

The study is unique in highlighting how tropical plants and their associated bacterial communities within the rhizosphere respond to drought conditions. This knowledge opens the door for using the plant-associated microbes to enable those plants to better handle drought conditions. It also provides greater understanding and preparation strategies for the drought-related impacts of climate change on plant health. 

Read more about this newly published research.