COSMOS MAGAZINE
Tapping into an ingenious survival strategy, wheat plants facing drought send out a chemical SOS, calling in friendly microbes to help them survive.
Whispering wheat
Credit: Getty
Whispering wheat
Under drought conditions, wheat releases the compound 4-oxoproline from its roots to recruit the bacteria Streptomyces coeruleorubidus and Leifsonia shinshuensis that produce osmolytes – which preserve osmotic balance in cells – plant hormones, and nutrient solubilisers.
These microbial allies act like crop probiotics, producing protective compounds that boost plant health, growth, and even grain yield — despite the dry conditions.
Whispering wheat
A wheat field experiencing drought. Credit: Trudie Davidson via Getty Images
The dynamic bacteria duo of Streptomyces coeruleorubidus and Leifsonia shinshuensis not only aids current crops but leaves a legacy in the soil, helping the next generation of crops too.
Whispering wheat
Credit: Getty
The discovery reveals how plants and microbes work as a team to survive stressful conditions such as drought, making sustainable and climate-smart farming a viable option.
Whispering wheat
Credit: Getty