{"title":"Protected cultivation of the stock plant enhances rooting of wounded cuttings of Caryocar brasiliense (Caryocaraceae)","authors":"Adriene Matos dos Santos , Hellen Cássia Mazzottini-dos-Santos , Leonardo Monteiro Ribeiro , Renan Ribeiro Silva , Nermy Ribeiro Valadares , Paulo Sérgio Nascimento Lopes","doi":"10.1016/j.rhisph.2025.101254","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rhisph.2025.101254","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Little is known about the factors controlling the efficiency of vegetative propagation by cuttings in tropical woody species. <em>Caryocar brasiliense</em>, an endemic fruit tree of the Cerrado biome, shows great potential for domestication through this technique. This study examined anatomical and physiological aspects related to the effects of the cultivation environment of the stock plants and the timing of wounding at the base of cuttings on the success of propagation. Stock plants were cultivated under full sunlight, shade netting, and greenhouse conditions, while cuttings were wounded at their bases at 0, 7, and 14 days after cutting. Rooting, morphoanatomy, and physiology of both stock plants and cuttings were evaluated, together with the ontogeny of adventitious roots. Greenhouse cultivation promoted greater growth, higher photosynthetic efficiency, and increased carbohydrate concentrations, as well as reduced lignification and phenolic compound accumulation in the cortical region. The phytohormones indole-3-acetic acid and jasmonic acid, together with peroxidase enzyme activity and the ratios of indole-3-acetic acid to 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid, peroxidase, and abscisic acid, showed strong positive correlations with rooting, whereas abscisic acid and zeatin showed negative correlations. Cultivation under 70 % shading and wounding applied seven days after cutting favored adventitious root formation. Adventitious root ontogeny in <em>C. brasiliense</em> is multisite, originating from the vascular cambium, phloem, cortex, and callus, depending on the cutting's origin in relation to the stock plant's cultivation environment. These findings provide insights into optimizing the propagation of <em>C. brasiliense</em> for domestication and conservation purposes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48589,"journal":{"name":"Rhizosphere","volume":"37 ","pages":"Article 101254"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145939418","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
RhizospherePub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2026-01-06DOI: 10.1016/j.rhisph.2026.101262
Xiuyun Zhao, Chenyang Du, Qiang Zeng, Yue Kang, Gaofu Qi
{"title":"Root exudate-microbiota interaction: Novel strategies for sustainable crop disease control","authors":"Xiuyun Zhao, Chenyang Du, Qiang Zeng, Yue Kang, Gaofu Qi","doi":"10.1016/j.rhisph.2026.101262","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rhisph.2026.101262","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Root exudates—up to one-fifth of plant-fixed carbon—function as the rhizosphere's universal currency, simultaneously mobilising nutrients, signalling to microorganisms, and erecting chemical defense. Here, we synthesize recent studies to demonstrate how this metabolite cocktail (amino acids, organic acids, sugars, phenylpropanoids, terpenoids, alkaloids, and peptides) is dynamically reconfigured by genotype, developmental stage, soil type, nutrient status, drought, salinity, temperature, and pathogen attack. The plant-controlled shift in exudate composition feeds, chemoattracts or repels specific microbial taxa, creating a beneficial microbiome that solubilises minerals, fixes nitrogen, induces systemic resistance and outcompetes pathogens, thereby self-engineering a healthier, more resilient soil ecosystem. Conversely, pathogens exploit the same exudate gradients for chemotaxis and infection, forcing plants to mount a rapid, targeted secretion of antimicrobials and defence-associated compounds. We highlight critical gaps: (i) absence of field-realistic, microbe-sparing collection protocols; (ii) limited knowledge of biosynthetic and transport proteins dictating metabolite export; (iii) under-explored perception of exudates by fungi, viruses and nematodes. Bridging these gaps via portable sampling devices, multi-omics and genome editing will convert root exudates from descriptive metabolites into predictable, breedable traits, enabling low-input crops that engineer their own microbiome to enhance nutrient acquisition, stress tolerance and disease resistance.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48589,"journal":{"name":"Rhizosphere","volume":"37 ","pages":"Article 101262"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145939442","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
RhizospherePub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2026-01-16DOI: 10.1016/j.rhisph.2026.101275
Zhiliang Ma, Yamei Chen, Wenjuan Xu
{"title":"Plant coexistence shapes microbial carbon and phosphorus limitations in soils of expanding alpine shrubs","authors":"Zhiliang Ma, Yamei Chen, Wenjuan Xu","doi":"10.1016/j.rhisph.2026.101275","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rhisph.2026.101275","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Alpine shrub expansion restructures plant communities and soil biogeochemistry on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, but how contrasting plant coexistence patterns (shrub-conifer vs. mixed shrubs) shape microbial metabolic limitation across bulk/rhizosphere soils and soil layers remains unresolved—limiting predictions of ecosystem responses to vegetation shifts. We quantified microbial metabolic limitation via extracellular enzyme stoichiometry and vector properties in bulk/rhizosphere soils (organic/mineral layers) of expanding <em>Salix oritrepha</em> shrubs under three coexistence patterns: pure stands, coexistence with <em>Picea likiangensis</em> (shrub-conifer), or <em>Sibiraea angustata</em> (mixed shrubs). Our key findings reveal that microbial communities in <em>S. oritrepha</em> soils were primarily C- and P-limited, with coexisting plants identity driving divergent limitation patterns: relative to pure stands, conifer coexistence (<em>P. likiangensis</em>) consistently alleviated C limitation across all soils and layers, whereas mixed shrub coexistence (<em>S. angustata</em>) intensified C limitation (except for an alleviating effect in the mineral-layer rhizosphere). For P limitation, conifer coexistence strengthened limitation only in bulk soil, while mixed shrub coexistence primarily amplified P limitation in the rhizosphere. Soil moisture emerged as the dominant driver: it correlated positively with C limitation and negatively with P limitation. These results demonstrate that coexisting plants determines the direction and compartment-specificity of microbial resource limitation under shrub expansion—providing a functional framework to predict soil biogeochemical responses to alpine vegetation shifts, with critical implications for ecosystem management under global change.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48589,"journal":{"name":"Rhizosphere","volume":"37 ","pages":"Article 101275"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146037968","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
RhizospherePub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2026-02-03DOI: 10.1016/j.rhisph.2026.101286
Xiaojuan Du, Xiaoxu Fan
{"title":"Effects of nitrogen and phosphorus addition on the diversity of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal communities in agroecosystems","authors":"Xiaojuan Du, Xiaoxu Fan","doi":"10.1016/j.rhisph.2026.101286","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rhisph.2026.101286","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>As food demand increases, more and more agricultural ecosystems are widely applying nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) fertilizers to boost yields. Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi have demonstrated outstanding potential in enhancing soil nutrient absorption and improving agricultural productivity by forming mutualistic symbiotic relationships with host plants. However, there is currently no definite conclusion regarding the impact of N and P fertilizer addition on AM fungal communities and soil nutrient content change in farmland. This study systematically evaluated the effects of N and P fertilizers by collecting 3147 sets of experimental data from 44 literatures. The results indicated that N addition significantly inhibited AM fungal α-diversity (within-community diversity), mainly reflected the inhibition of richness, Chao1 and abundance-based coverage estimator (ACE) indices. The application of urea or ammonium nitrate (NH<sub>4</sub>NO<sub>3</sub>) also showed inhibitory effects on AM fungal α-diversity. P addition at rates >50 kg P ha<sup>−1</sup> yr<sup>−1</sup>, also demonstrated notable inhibitory effects on the AM fungal α-diversity. The single or mixed addition of N or P addition significantly enhanced AM fungal β-diversity (the extent of community composition similarity) and altered their community structure. In terms of soil nutrient content, N addition significantly promoted the contents of nitrate nitrogen (NO<sub>3</sub><sup>−</sup>-N) and electrical conductivity (EC), while inhibiting available phosphorus (AP). P addition significantly inhibited NO<sub>3</sub><sup>−</sup>-N but significantly promoted AP. The combined addition of N and P significantly promoted AP. Random Forest model pinpointed soil pH as the dominant driver behind the multidimensional responses, including AM fungal communities α-diversity, β-diversity, and structure under N addition. From this, it could be seen that the study systematically elucidated N and P fertilization regulated the of AM fungal diversity and soil nutrient content in farmland, providing a theoretical basis for sustainable management of high agricultural yields and soil quality maintenance.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48589,"journal":{"name":"Rhizosphere","volume":"37 ","pages":"Article 101286"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146188500","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
RhizospherePub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2026-02-05DOI: 10.1016/j.rhisph.2026.101288
Mariana V. Franções, Juan Fernández
{"title":"The bioherbicidal potential of Streptomyces spp.: Mechanisms, applications, and future prospects in sustainable weed management","authors":"Mariana V. Franções, Juan Fernández","doi":"10.1016/j.rhisph.2026.101288","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rhisph.2026.101288","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The intensive application of synthetic herbicides in agriculture drives the urgent need for sustainable alternatives, particularly in the context of widespread herbicide resistance, environmental pollution, and health risks. This comprehensive review evaluates the potential of <em>Streptomyces</em> spp. as producers of bioherbicidal metabolites, focusing on their biochemical diversity, mechanisms of action, and prospects for weed management. A literature survey identified that <em>Streptomyces</em> species synthesize a broad spectrum of phytotoxic secondary metabolites—including thaxtomins, herbicidins, coronafacoyl compounds, and indole-3-acetic acid (IAA)—which demonstrate strong potential for biological weed control. These molecules act via distinct mechanisms, such as inhibition of cell wall biosynthesis, disruption of hormonal homeostasis, and interference with primary metabolism. However, the full realization of this potential is currently limited by challenges in large-scale production, including the metabolic complexity of biosynthesis, instability of active compounds, and insufficient formulation strategies. Bioherbicides derived from <em>Streptomyces</em> represent a promising and environmentally compatible alternative to synthetic options. Overcoming current barriers through advances in genomics, metabolic engineering, and formulation technology will be key to developing effective, scalable <em>Streptomyces</em>-based products and realizing their role in integrated and sustainable weed management.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48589,"journal":{"name":"Rhizosphere","volume":"37 ","pages":"Article 101288"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146188499","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
RhizospherePub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2026-02-16DOI: 10.1016/j.rhisph.2026.101294
Magdalena Landl, Sibghat Ullah, Lena Lärm, Anja Klotzsche, Jan Vanderborght, Andrea Schnepf
{"title":"Model-based insights on the relationship between planar root length density observed in minirhizotron images and volumetric root length density in the field","authors":"Magdalena Landl, Sibghat Ullah, Lena Lärm, Anja Klotzsche, Jan Vanderborght, Andrea Schnepf","doi":"10.1016/j.rhisph.2026.101294","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rhisph.2026.101294","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Minirhizotrons (MR) enable non-destructive investigation of plant root systems in the field. However, MR images only provide information about root systems in the 2D plane, whose relationship to 3D root system measures remains unclear. This study uses model simulation to investigate the relationship between planar root length density (pRLD) as determined from MR images and volumetric root length density (vRLD) in the field.</div><div>We set up a virtual MR facility resembling the field MR facilities in Selhausen. Root systems of maize and winter wheat were grown around horizontally laid rhizotubes in a virtual field setup using the root architecture model CPlantBox. We calculated pRLD from virtual MR images, as well as vRLD from virtual soil layers.</div><div>Our simulations confirmed experimental observations of weak correlations between pRLD and vRLD in topsoil, and of strong correlations in subsoil. The ratio of vRLD to pRLD remained relatively constant across the entire subsoil depth. The greater the heterogeneity in the distribution of root length density or in the anisotropy of root growth across depth, the higher the ratio of vRLD to pRLD. Different numbers of MR images led to similar mean pRLD values if the MR images were distributed evenly along the rhizotube length. Larger rhizotube diameters resulted in lower vRLD-to-pRLD ratios, while different plant densities had no effect.</div><div>Model simulation provides valuable insights into the factors influencing the relationship between pRLD and vRLD. It also draws attention to the potential and limitations of using minirhizotron image data, making it a useful complement to experimental studies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48589,"journal":{"name":"Rhizosphere","volume":"37 ","pages":"Article 101294"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147395910","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
RhizospherePub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2026-02-17DOI: 10.1016/j.rhisph.2026.101292
Namid Krüger , Harihar Jaishree Subrahmaniam , Peter Mueller
{"title":"Root exudate profiles of wetland plants - a quantitative synthesis of secretion rates","authors":"Namid Krüger , Harihar Jaishree Subrahmaniam , Peter Mueller","doi":"10.1016/j.rhisph.2026.101292","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rhisph.2026.101292","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Wetlands are hotspots for carbon sequestration and greenhouse gas exchange. Root exudation from plants might play an important role in these biogeochemical processes; however, a comprehensive overview of plant species-specific exudation profiles is still lacking, limiting quantitative and mechanistic insight.</div><div>The primary objective of this synthesis is to summarize available data on root exudation in wetland plants, focusing on studies reporting exudation rates. Additionally, we describe factors influencing exudation rates and composition, and compare exudation profiles across plant functional and taxonomic groups.</div><div>Organic acids contributed the most to the compounds identified in exudate profiles and were the compound class analyzed most frequently (74 % of observations). Exudation rates of sugars and amino acids were rarely reported and contributed often <10 % to the total exudation, each. Data on secondary compound exudation rates were lacking. The most important organic acids were acetic, citric, formic, lactic, malic, and oxalic acid, which were released at compound-specific median rates between 2 and 17 μg per gram dry weight root and hour, with high variability among species. Fructose and glucose were the main sugars released, each at a rate of 2 μg g<sup>−1</sup> h<sup>−1</sup>. Plant functional type (graminoids, other herbaceous, mangroves, other woody) significantly affected exudation rates of several individual compounds, whereas no effect of plant family was detected. Our analysis showed that comparing exudation rates across studies remains challenging due to variable collection methods and environmental factors. We emphasize the need for a more comprehensive analysis of exudate profiles across wetland plant taxonomic and functional groups.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48589,"journal":{"name":"Rhizosphere","volume":"37 ","pages":"Article 101292"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147395914","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
RhizospherePub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2026-02-10DOI: 10.1016/j.rhisph.2026.101291
Chongyuan Qin , Jinji Han , Jingnan Zhang , Bing Gao , Zhuoran Tan , Yingxin Han , Yinuo Pan , Jinghong Wang , Shuhua Lu
{"title":"Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and balanced ammonium/nitrate ratio synergistically enhance cold tolerance of Hordeum jubatum by modulating root structural plasticity and ion homeostasis","authors":"Chongyuan Qin , Jinji Han , Jingnan Zhang , Bing Gao , Zhuoran Tan , Yingxin Han , Yinuo Pan , Jinghong Wang , Shuhua Lu","doi":"10.1016/j.rhisph.2026.101291","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rhisph.2026.101291","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Cold stress severely constrains plant growth in temperate regions. While nitrogen fertilization can mitigate cold stress, the effectiveness of different ammonium/nitrate ratios and their interaction with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) remain poorly understood. This study employed a three-factorial design (temperature × ammonium/nitrate ratio × AMF inoculation) to investigate their combined effects on the cold tolerance of Hordeum jubatumby analyzing root anatomical structure and ionomic profiles. The results demonstrated that cold stress significantly inhibited root development, reducing root diameter, cortical thickness, and stele diameter, with the high ammonium treatments exacerbating these structural impairments. AMF inoculation alleviated the cold-induced reduction in stele diameter under high ammonium supply, maintaining a lower cortex-to-stele (C:S) ratio. Correlation analysis revealed that this optimized root anatomy, particularly a lower C:S ratio, was negatively correlated with the contents of multiple ions, indicating enhanced transport efficiency. Ionomic analysis showed that AMF inoculation significantly increased the uptake of key nutrients such as phosphorus, potassium, and iron in roots under cold stress. The synergistic combination of a balanced ammonium/nitrate ratio and AMF inoculation most effectively promoted shoot calcium and iron accumulation, thereby stabilizing ion homeostasis. These findings highlight that co-regulating nitrogen form and AMF symbiosis enhances cold tolerance by systemically improving root structural plasticity and ionomic stability, providing a theoretical basis for optimizing nutrient management in cold-region agriculture.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48589,"journal":{"name":"Rhizosphere","volume":"37 ","pages":"Article 101291"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147395990","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
RhizospherePub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2026-01-13DOI: 10.1016/j.rhisph.2026.101268
Gun Mo Kim , Suejin Park , Seung Youn Lee
{"title":"Season-specific cutting strategies enable efficient clonal propagation of Berberis amurensis Rupr","authors":"Gun Mo Kim , Suejin Park , Seung Youn Lee","doi":"10.1016/j.rhisph.2026.101268","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rhisph.2026.101268","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Berberis amurensis</em> Rupr. is a pollinator-supporting shrub valued for its medicinal and ornamental traits; however, practical propagation is limited due to slow seed germination and a lack of vegetative propagation methods. This study investigated the impact of cutting season, auxin concentration, and cutting type on the adventitious rooting of stem cuttings. Hardwood cutting rooted in May showed higher survival, rooting percentage, and root system development than those rooted in August, and potassium indole-3-butyric acid at 500–1000 mg L<sup>−1</sup> increased root biomass and root number in May. In August, greenwood cuttings rooted and survived better than hardwood cuttings, even without auxin treatment. Anatomical observations confirmed that the adventitious root originated from the cambial zone and reconnected with the stem vascular tissues. These findings establish simple and season-specific protocols for the clonal propagation of <em>B. amurensis</em> for ex situ conservation and horticultural use.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48589,"journal":{"name":"Rhizosphere","volume":"37 ","pages":"Article 101268"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145977510","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
RhizospherePub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2026-01-07DOI: 10.1016/j.rhisph.2026.101264
Jeroen Baatsen, João L. Azevedo, Maria C. Quecine
{"title":"Benzoxazinoids and plant growth-promoting bacteria: A pathway to sustainable agriculture","authors":"Jeroen Baatsen, João L. Azevedo, Maria C. Quecine","doi":"10.1016/j.rhisph.2026.101264","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rhisph.2026.101264","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Grass plants influence the composition of their rhizobiome through the secretion of metabolites, such as benzoxazinoids (BXs), which shape microbial communities. Paramount to plant health, the root associated microbiome may confer plant growth-promoting effects and tolerance to pathogens and herbivorous insects. Specifically, the BX derivative 6-methoxy-2-benzoxazolinone (MBOA), exhibits prolonged effects on soil microbiota and plant defense mechanisms by sustained biosynthesis and its relatively stable molecular structure. Leveraging Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR) offers a sustainable strategy to enhance soil fertility and crop yield while reducing reliance on chemical inputs. However, the efficacy of microbial inoculants is contingent upon various factors, including cultivar and environmental conditions, necessitating tailored approaches for successful implementation. The ecological impact BXs as plant signaling molecules can have on microbial ecology is demonstrated by experiments on <em>Fusarium</em> strains. Conditioning soil with MBOA may offer a promising strategy to enhance the efficacy of microbial inoculation, thus improving environmental conditions and crop cultivation outcomes. In this review, we discuss how BXs can be used as a tool in sustainable agricultural practices. Therefore, the biochemistry of BXs; the mechanisms of PGPR involved in root colonization; and plant-soil feedback are discussed, offering insights into optimizing crop management for enhanced sustainability, yield and pest tolerance.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48589,"journal":{"name":"Rhizosphere","volume":"37 ","pages":"Article 101264"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145977508","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}