Drought-tolerant microorganisms: changes in research hotspots and mechanisms of improving plant drought tolerance

Abstract:

Drought is a serious abiotic stress dramatically reducing crop yields, which urgently necessitates the development and application of environmentally friendly biological methods capable of promoting plant growth. We retrieved 1 986 articles on drought-tolerant microorganisms from the CNKI and the Web of Science that were published during 2003−2023. By reviewing these articles, we summarized the research hotspots and progress in this field and discussed the biodiversity of drought-tolerant microorganisms and the mechanisms of these microorganisms in protecting plants from drought stress. This review aims to provide guidance for the isolation and screening of drought-tolerant microorganisms and the creation of effective microorganism-plant combinations in response to drought and offers new solutions for the challenges posed by global drought to agriculture and food production.