“Legacy Effects” in Soil Microbes Influence Plant Resilience

Scientists at the University of Kansas are uncovering how soil microbes retain “legacy effects” that shape how plants respond to changing environments.  The research, published in Nature Microbiology, examined soils from six locations across Kansas, from the humid tallgrass prairies in the east to the drier shortgrass regions in the west.

Researchers conditioned the microbial communities under both drought and well-watered conditions before planting native grasses and maize.  They found that soils with a history of drought fostered microbial communities that improved drought tolerance in a native prairie grass by altering root gene expression related to water uptake.  However, those benefits were less pronounced in maize, suggesting native plants are better tuned to local microbial legacies.

The findings highlight how past climate and land use can leave lasting microbial “memories” in soil, which may be harnessed to improve crop resilience as global temperatures and droughts intensify.

Click Here to read the results of that research.

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