Heat stress and soil thermal gradients shape root-associated fungal community recruitment

Climate change is increasing the overall temperature of the planet and increasing the number of extreme heat waves events. These phenomena are negatively affecting crop production and food security. Thus, under this scenario, understanding the adaptations that encompass the plant response to high te...

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Main Authors: Pablo Catarecha, Eoghan King, Sandra Díaz-González, Elena Caro, Soledad Sacristán, Juan Carlos del Pozo
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-08-01
Series:Frontiers in Microbiology
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2025.1334648/full
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author Pablo Catarecha
Eoghan King
Sandra Díaz-González
Elena Caro
Elena Caro
Soledad Sacristán
Soledad Sacristán
Juan Carlos del Pozo
author_facet Pablo Catarecha
Eoghan King
Sandra Díaz-González
Elena Caro
Elena Caro
Soledad Sacristán
Soledad Sacristán
Juan Carlos del Pozo
author_sort Pablo Catarecha
collection DOAJ
description Climate change is increasing the overall temperature of the planet and increasing the number of extreme heat waves events. These phenomena are negatively affecting crop production and food security. Thus, under this scenario, understanding the adaptations that encompass the plant response to high temperature will be essential to enhance crop tolerance and yield. Plant responses to elevated temperature rely on both genetic factors and the dynamic interplay with the surrounding microbiota. Recently, the role of root microbiota as a key player in the plant’s response to heat, is gaining significant relevance. This work presents the analysis of fungal microbiota from the rhizosphere and the root-associated fractions of tomato roots in response to high temperature. Although the analyses were done in an enclosed environment, we used the TGRooZ (Temperature Gradient Root Zone) system to mimic field conditions. The TGRooZ generates a temperature gradient like the natural soil during a heat wave event. We found that distinct soil/root compartments assemble a different fungal community, with the rhizosphere fraction exhibiting greater diversity and abundance, while the root-associated fraction was enriched in fewer but more specialized taxa. Notably, the experimental conditions used to analyze heat responses significantly influenced the final microbiome composition. Our data suggest that the TGRooZ system will enable more accurate analysis of plant-microbiome responses to heat stress and help evaluate the potential of beneficial microbes to enhance crop productivity under near-natural conditions.
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spelling doaj-art-de1806f2f2d8434197047b56dc1e1e0a2025-08-20T03:03:50ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Microbiology1664-302X2025-08-011610.3389/fmicb.2025.13346481334648Heat stress and soil thermal gradients shape root-associated fungal community recruitmentPablo Catarecha0Eoghan King1Sandra Díaz-González2Elena Caro3Elena Caro4Soledad Sacristán5Soledad Sacristán6Juan Carlos del Pozo7Centro de Biotecnología y Genómica de Plantas (UPM-INIA/CSIC), Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM) - Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnologı́a Agraria y Alimentaria-CSIC (INIA/CSIC), Campus Montegancedo, Madrid, SpainCentro de Biotecnología y Genómica de Plantas (UPM-INIA/CSIC), Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM) - Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnologı́a Agraria y Alimentaria-CSIC (INIA/CSIC), Campus Montegancedo, Madrid, SpainCentro de Biotecnología y Genómica de Plantas (UPM-INIA/CSIC), Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM) - Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnologı́a Agraria y Alimentaria-CSIC (INIA/CSIC), Campus Montegancedo, Madrid, SpainCentro de Biotecnología y Genómica de Plantas (UPM-INIA/CSIC), Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM) - Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnologı́a Agraria y Alimentaria-CSIC (INIA/CSIC), Campus Montegancedo, Madrid, SpainDepartamento de Biotecnología-Biología Vegetal, Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería Agronómica, Alimentaria y de Biosistemas, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM), Madrid, SpainCentro de Biotecnología y Genómica de Plantas (UPM-INIA/CSIC), Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM) - Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnologı́a Agraria y Alimentaria-CSIC (INIA/CSIC), Campus Montegancedo, Madrid, SpainDepartamento de Biotecnología-Biología Vegetal, Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería Agronómica, Alimentaria y de Biosistemas, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM), Madrid, SpainCentro de Biotecnología y Genómica de Plantas (UPM-INIA/CSIC), Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM) - Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnologı́a Agraria y Alimentaria-CSIC (INIA/CSIC), Campus Montegancedo, Madrid, SpainClimate change is increasing the overall temperature of the planet and increasing the number of extreme heat waves events. These phenomena are negatively affecting crop production and food security. Thus, under this scenario, understanding the adaptations that encompass the plant response to high temperature will be essential to enhance crop tolerance and yield. Plant responses to elevated temperature rely on both genetic factors and the dynamic interplay with the surrounding microbiota. Recently, the role of root microbiota as a key player in the plant’s response to heat, is gaining significant relevance. This work presents the analysis of fungal microbiota from the rhizosphere and the root-associated fractions of tomato roots in response to high temperature. Although the analyses were done in an enclosed environment, we used the TGRooZ (Temperature Gradient Root Zone) system to mimic field conditions. The TGRooZ generates a temperature gradient like the natural soil during a heat wave event. We found that distinct soil/root compartments assemble a different fungal community, with the rhizosphere fraction exhibiting greater diversity and abundance, while the root-associated fraction was enriched in fewer but more specialized taxa. Notably, the experimental conditions used to analyze heat responses significantly influenced the final microbiome composition. Our data suggest that the TGRooZ system will enable more accurate analysis of plant-microbiome responses to heat stress and help evaluate the potential of beneficial microbes to enhance crop productivity under near-natural conditions.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2025.1334648/fullabiotic stressfungal communitytemperatureSolanum lycopersicummetagenomicsroot
spellingShingle Pablo Catarecha
Eoghan King
Sandra Díaz-González
Elena Caro
Elena Caro
Soledad Sacristán
Soledad Sacristán
Juan Carlos del Pozo
Heat stress and soil thermal gradients shape root-associated fungal community recruitment
Frontiers in Microbiology
abiotic stress
fungal community
temperature
Solanum lycopersicum
metagenomics
root
title Heat stress and soil thermal gradients shape root-associated fungal community recruitment
title_full Heat stress and soil thermal gradients shape root-associated fungal community recruitment
title_fullStr Heat stress and soil thermal gradients shape root-associated fungal community recruitment
title_full_unstemmed Heat stress and soil thermal gradients shape root-associated fungal community recruitment
title_short Heat stress and soil thermal gradients shape root-associated fungal community recruitment
title_sort heat stress and soil thermal gradients shape root associated fungal community recruitment
topic abiotic stress
fungal community
temperature
Solanum lycopersicum
metagenomics
root
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2025.1334648/full
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AT elenacaro heatstressandsoilthermalgradientsshaperootassociatedfungalcommunityrecruitment
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