
Drought-Resistant Wheat: Friendly Soil Bacteria Offer Breakthrough for Climate-Smart Farming
In a major breakthrough for sustainable agriculture researchers at Western Sydney University have discovered that wheat plants under drought stress can recruit helpful soil microbes to survive a finding that could revolutionise crop resilience in the face of climate change.
Nature’s SOS: Microbial Allies Beneath Our Feet
The study, published in the prestigious journal Cell Host & Microbe, reveals that drought-hit wheat plants secrete a compound called 4-oxoproline through their roots. This acts like a chemical distress signal, attracting beneficial soil bacteria particularly Streptomyces and Leifsonia to their root zones.
Once in place, these “drought-fighting” microbes respond by producing osmolytes, plant hormones, and nutrient solubilisers. Together, these help wheat plants...