Fungal response to drought in the maize rhizosphere after reusing cover crop root channels
Abstract
Root channels formed by winter cover crop can enhance subsoil water and nutrient access for subsequent crops such as maize (Zea mays L.). Structure and function of fungal communities in these habitats remain poorly understood, especially under drought. We conducted a field experiment across three different soil types in northern Germany (Luvisol, Podzol, and Phaeozem) planted with different cover crop mixtures containing Brassicaceae, Fabaceae, and Poaceae, followed by maize cultivation under contrasting water regimes (drought vs. rainfall-fed). Drought-induced shifts in maize rhizosphere fungal communities and their functional responses within reused cover crop root channels were assessed using a multi-omics approach combining ITS2 amplicon sequencing, quantitative PCR and metaproteomics. Drought consistently restructured fungal communities, with relative abundances of Ascomycota and Zoopagomycota increasing and that of Chytridiomycota and Mucoromycota decreasing, alongside soil- and depth-specific shifts in fungal trophic modes, with pronounced subsoil responses. Metaproteomics revealed that drought responses were either via enhanced antioxidant defence mechanisms or by reduced levels of carbon and nitrogen metabolism-associated proteins, suggesting energy conservation strategies. Further, drought-stimulated upregulation of fungal cellulose- and hemicellulose-degrading and redox-active enzymes may have enhanced soluble sugar release and redox balancing, supporting osmotic homeostasis and metabolic flexibility under water limitation. These responses were strongly influenced by soil types, being most pronounced in the drought-prone Podzol and Luvisol and markedly buffered in the water-retentive Phaeozem. Together, our results demonstrate substantial structural and functional plasticity of rhizosphere fungal communities in reused root channels under water limitation, highlighting their potential role in microbiome-mediated drought resilience in agroecosystems.
Related
- Enhancement of Drought Stress Tolerance in Lettuce by Pseudomonas fluorescens FSO7 Isolated from Artemisia ordosica Rhizosphere
- Rhizosphere Fungal Community Responses to Nitrogen Addition Reflect Genotypic Versus Trait Variation in the Marsh Sedge Schoenoplectus americanus Over Time
- Beneath the Drought: Rhizosphere Processes Shape Genotype‐Specific Sorghum Responses to Drought‐Induced N Limitation
- Evaluating the legacy of drought exposure on root and rhizosphere bacterial microbiomes over two plant generations
- Drought reduces Ascochyta rabiei infection in chickpea through proline/P5C/mitochondrial-ROS mediated fungal suppression
BibTeX
@article{ghosh2026fungal,
title = {{Fungal response to drought in the maize rhizosphere after reusing cover crop root channels}},
author = {Debjyoti Ghosh and Yijie Shi and Iris M Zimmermann and Tobias Stürzebecher and Katja Holzhauser and Martin von Bergen and Anne-Kristin Kaster and Sandra Spielvogel and Michaela A Dippold and Jochen A Müller and Harald Kellner and Nico Jehmlich},
journal = {ISME Communications},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.1093/ismeco/ycag273},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1093/ismeco/ycag273},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Fungal response to drought in the maize rhizosphere after reusing cover crop root channels
AU - Debjyoti Ghosh
AU - Yijie Shi
AU - Iris M Zimmermann
AU - Tobias Stürzebecher
AU - Katja Holzhauser
AU - Martin von Bergen
AU - Anne-Kristin Kaster
AU - Sandra Spielvogel
AU - Michaela A Dippold
AU - Jochen A Müller
AU - Harald Kellner
AU - Nico Jehmlich
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/25
JO - ISME Communications
DO - 10.1093/ismeco/ycag273
UR - https://doi.org/10.1093/ismeco/ycag273
AB - Root channels formed by winter cover crop can enhance subsoil water and nutrient access for subsequent crops such as maize (Zea mays L.). Structure and function of fungal communities in these habitats remain poorly understood, especially under drought. We conducted a field experiment across three different soil types in northern Germany (Luvisol, Podzol, and Phaeozem) planted with different cover crop mixtures containing Brassicaceae, Fabaceae, and Poaceae, followed by maize cultivation under contrasting water regimes (drought vs. rainfall-fed). Drought-induced shifts in maize rhizosphere fungal communities and their functional responses within reused cover crop root channels were assessed using a multi-omics approach combining ITS2 amplicon sequencing, quantitative PCR and metaproteomics. Drought consistently restructured fungal communities, with relative abundances of Ascomycota and Zoopagomycota increasing and that of Chytridiomycota and Mucoromycota decreasing, alongside soil- and depth-specific shifts in fungal trophic modes, with pronounced subsoil responses. Metaproteomics revealed that drought responses were either via enhanced antioxidant defence mechanisms or by reduced levels of carbon and nitrogen metabolism-associated proteins, suggesting energy conservation strategies. Further, drought-stimulated upregulation of fungal cellulose- and hemicellulose-degrading and redox-active enzymes may have enhanced soluble sugar release and redox balancing, supporting osmotic homeostasis and metabolic flexibility under water limitation. These responses were strongly influenced by soil types, being most pronounced in the drought-prone Podzol and Luvisol and markedly buffered in the water-retentive Phaeozem. Together, our results demonstrate substantial structural and functional plasticity of rhizosphere fungal communities in reused root channels under water limitation, highlighting their potential role in microbiome-mediated drought resilience in agroecosystems.
SN - 2730-6151
ER -