Microbial Strategies for Drought Stress Mitigation

Climate change is intensifying the frequency, duration, and severity of drought episodes, posing a growing threat to both wild plants and crops. Although previous efforts to develop drought-tolerant cultivars have yielded significant results, a faster and more sustainable alternative may be the use of beneficial microorganisms (BM). The application of BM in agriculture and natural environments has emerged as a promising and cost-effective strategy to enhance plant resilience under drought stress. However, the molecular and physiological mechanisms underlying BM interactions with plants, especially under drought conditions, remain poorly understood.

Specifically, it remains largely unknown how BM and plants recognize each other and establish a mutually beneficial relationship. Which molecular signals mediate this communication, and how are these signals modulated in response to drought conditions? Another unanswered question is: what molecular changes are triggered in plants by BM to enhance their drought tolerance? Moreover, from a practical perspective, do the positive effects of BM observed under laboratory conditions translate effectively to the field or to natural environments? Therefore, studies focused on molecular signaling between BM and plants under drought stress, the omic changes induced in plants by BM, and evaluations under field and natural conditions are essential.

In this Research Topic, we welcome studies that use beneficial microorganisms, including fungi (mycorrhizal or not), bacteria, or yeasts, to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying plant–microbe interactions under drought conditions. Submissions may include research employing omics approaches—such as transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics, and ionomics—alongside studies investigating physiological responses associated with these analyses. We also encourage studies conducted under field, semi-natural, or realistic agricultural conditions, which are essential for validating the efficacy of BM in situ. Furthermore, interdisciplinary approaches integrating physiological, molecular, and environmental factors are strongly encouraged.

We invite both original research articles and reviews. With this Research Topic, we aim to advance our understanding of how BM interact with plants to mitigate the effects of drought stress.

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Policy and Practice Reviews
• Review
• Systematic Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: Microbial Consortium, Microbiome, Mycorrhiza, Omics Techniques, Plant Growth-promoting Bacteria, Plant Physiology, Stress Adapatation

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.