Mengmeng Yin^2,4 , Hui Zhang^1,3 , Qian Zhu^1,2,3 , Juan Li^1,2,3 , Xiaoli Zhou^2,4 , Xianyu Wang^1,3 , Dongsun Lee^1,2,3 , Lijuan Chen^1,2,3

1 Rice Research Institute, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming, 650201, Yunnan, China
2 The Key Laboratory for Crop Production and Smart Agriculture of Yunnan Province, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming, 650201, Yunnan, China
3 College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming, 650201, Yunnan, China
4 College of Agricultural Science, Xichang University, Liangshan, 615013, Sichuan, China
Author    Correspondence author
Molecular Soil Biology, 2024, Vol. 15, No. 4   
Received: 05 Jun., 2024    Accepted: 11 Jul., 2024    Published: 27 Jul., 2024

This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

This feature review revealed several key findings. First, the diversity and functionality of rhizosphere microbial communities were significantly influenced by the rice genotype and soil type. Enhanced root traits, such as increased root biomass and root exudates, were found to promote beneficial microbial populations, including nitrogen-fixing bacteria and methanotrophs, which in turn improved plant growth and reduced methane emissions. The sequential inoculation of beneficial microbes, such as Azotobacter vinelandii and Serendipita indica, further augmented rice growth by enhancing root-shoot biomass and chlorophyll content. Additionally, the study demonstrated that hybrid rice cultivars could recruit specific rhizosphere microbiomes that facilitated better nutrient mineralization and reduced nutrient losses, thereby improving yield. This review underscore the importance of optimizing root traits and rhizosphere microbial functions to enhance the productivity and sustainability of hybrid rice in dryland farming systems. By leveraging the synergistic interactions between roots and rhizosphere microbes, it is possible to develop more resilient and efficient farming models that can contribute to global food security and environmental sustainability.

Dryland farming; Hybrid rice; Root growth; Rhizosphere microbial functions; Nitrogen-fixing bacteria; Methanotrophs; Crop productivity; Sustainable agriculture