Root microbes could help oak trees adapt to drought

Root microbes could help oak trees adapt to drought

Microbes could help oak trees cope with environmental change. Publishing in Cell Host & Microbe, a study observing oaks growing in a natural woodland found that the trees' above- and below-ground microbiomes were resilient to drought, nutrient scarcity, and exposure to pathogenic beetles and bacteria. The trees showed subtle changes to their root-associated microbiota after prolonged drought, suggesting they can recruit beneficial bacteria under…

How Root Microbes Boost Oak Trees' Drought Resilience

In the face of escalating environmental challenges, the resilience of oak trees to drought, nutrient limitations, and pathogenic threats has emerged as a critical area of inquiry within plant-microbe interaction research. A groundbreaking study published in the journal Cell Host & Microbe reveals that the microbiomes associated with semi-mature oak trees exhibit remarkable stability despite exposure to adverse conditions. This research sheds new…