Delong Wang

Hainan Provincial Key Laboratory of Crop Molecular Breeding, Sanya, 572025, Hainan, China
Author    Correspondence author
Molecular Soil Biology, 2025, Vol. 16, No. 5   
Received: 28 Jul., 2025    Accepted: 03 Sep., 2025    Published: 18 Sep., 2025

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.

The relationship between the roots of corn and the soil is of great significance to the growth, nutrient absorption and stress resistance of the crop. Many studies have shown that the morphology of roots, their secretions, and their interactions with the soil environment and microorganisms can affect corn's utilization efficiency of key resources such as water, nitrogen, and phosphorus, as well as its yield. Root secretions not only improve the environment around the roots but also attract beneficial microorganisms, assist in nutrient cycling, and make the soil healthier. Some agricultural practices, such as precise fertilization, adding soil conditioners, and cultivating varieties with better root systems, can also enhance the "root-soil interaction" effect, thereby improving the stress resistance and resource utilization rate of corn. In the future, if high-throughput phenotypic technology of root systems, soil science, microbiomics and agronomy are combined, it will be able to provide more assistance in cultivating high-yield, stress-resistant and sustainable corn varieties and planting methods. A thorough understanding and application of root-soil interaction are of vital importance for food security and sustainable agricultural development. The purpose of this study is to summarize and analyze these aspects to provide references for subsequent corn improvement and agricultural management.

Corn; Root-soil interaction; Root phenotype; Soil microorganisms; Sustainable agriculture