Increasing Wheat Plants' Resilience to Climate Variability: The Role of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi In Plant Adaptation to Drought Stress

Increasing extreme climate events driven by climate variability pose serious challenges to agricultural productivity and ecosystem stability. One of the most significant limiting factors among all the stresses is water deficit, which restricts nutrient uptake and crop yield. Since global climate change intensifies water scarcity in many regions, recognizing the biological mechanisms that enhance plant resilience has led to a significant focus on ecological research.

Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF) are among the most important soil microorganisms, forming a mutualistic association with the roots of most terrestrial plants. AMF greatly increases plants' access to soil nutrients and water through this symbiotic relationship. This interaction via the AMF hyphal network not only improves nutrient uptake, especially phosphorus, but also increases plants' water-absorption capacity under stress conditions. Several studies indicate that the AMF symbiosis can improve plants' tolerance to water stress by enhancing biological and physiological processes, such as more efficient photosynthesis and antioxidant activity. As the consequences of global warming intensify, recognizing the ecological roles of AMF in mitigating the impact of drought stress on plants can be crucial.

This study aims to explore the potential role of AMF in improving plant (wheat) resilience to drought stress, with a focus on physiolocal responses to the water-limiting conditions. It also highlights the importance of these soil microbial relationships in wheat plant adaptation to water deficiency through altering some physiological and biological processes. The findings underscore the importance of sustainable agricultural practices in the context of climate vulnerability.