Targeting the untargeted: Uncovering the chemical complexity of root exudates

Abstract

The chemical complexity of root exudates has garnered significant attention in recent years, yet critical gaps remain in understanding the full scope of root exudate chemical variation across the plant kingdom. To address this, we conducted a systematic review of 57 studies, comprising 124 experiments, aimed at evaluating current methodologies and findings in untargeted root exudate chemical analysis. Our review revealed that hydroponic (44%) and soil-hydroponic hybrid (32%) sampling approaches, primarily utilising water as the collection medium, were the most common experimental setups. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) was the predominant analytical technique used in 54% of the studies, followed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) in 31%. The average number of metabolites identified per analysis was 960, though the number of annotated metabolites varied considerably. Shikimates, phenylpropanoids, and carbohydrates were the most frequently identified classes, with their relative abundances varying widely. Several methodological challenges were highlighted, including inconsistencies in sampling techniques, underrepresentation of non-crop plants, and incomplete chemical annotation. To address these limitations, we propose a framework emphasising the need for representative exudate sampling, the use of multiple analytical approaches, the development of advanced bioinformatics tools, and the integration of these findings to enhance our understanding of root exudates and their ecological functions.