Open Access

REVIEW

Impact of Soil Microbes and Abiotic Stress on Strawberry Root Physiology and Growth: A Review

Hira Akhtar¹, Akhtar Hameed^1,*, Rana Binyamin¹, Kashif Riaz², Hafiz Muhammad Usman Aslam^1,3, Faizan Ali⁴, Subhan Ali¹, Zuniara Akash⁵, Muhammad Saqlain Zaheer^6,*, Kamran Ikram⁶, Yasir Niaz⁶, Hafiz Haider Ali^7,8

1 Institute of Plant Protection, MNS University of Agriculture, Multan, 60000, Pakistan
2 Production Lareault, 90 rue Lareault, Lavaltrie, QC J5T 3H3, Canada
3 Department of Plant Pathology, San Luis Valley Research Center, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
4 Department of Agricultural Science & Engineering, College of Agriculture, Tennessee State University, Nashville, TN 37209, USA
5 Department of Plant Pathology, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Faisalabad, 38000, Pakistan
6 Department of Agricultural Engineering, Khwaja Fareed University of Engineering and Information Technology, Rahim Yar Khan, 64200, Pakistan
7 Department of Agriculture, Government College University Lahore (GCUL), Lahore, 54000, Pakistan
8 Department of Plant Sciences, Aberdeen Research & Extension Center, University of Idaho, Aberdeen, ID 83210, USA

* Corresponding Authors: Akhtar Hameed. Email: ; Muhammad Saqlain Zaheer. Email:

(This article belongs to the Special Issue: Soil Microbes and Abiotic Stress Factors: Impacts on Root Physiology, Crop Growth, and Hormonal Dynamics)

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany 2025, 94(3), 561-581. https://doi.org/10.32604/phyton.2025.061262

Received 20 November 2024; Accepted 08 February 2025; Issue published 31 March 2025

Abstract

Strawberry (Fragaria ananassa) is well known among consumers because of its attractive color, delicious taste, and nutritional benefits. It is widely grown worldwide, but its production has become a significant challenge due to changing climatic conditions that lead to abiotic stresses in plants, which results in poor root development, nutrient deficiency, and poor plant health. In this context, the major abiotic stresses are temperature fluctuations, water shortages, and high levels of soil salinity. The accumulation of salts in excessive amounts disrupts the osmotic balance and impairs physiological processes. However, drought reduces fruit size, yield, and quality. Similarly, heat and cold stresses directly affect the rate of photosynthesis. Plants respond to these changes by producing growth-promoting hormones to ensure their survival. In the context of these abiotic stresses, beneficial microbes support plant growth. Among these fungi, the most extensively studied are plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF). When applied as bioinoculants, they are associated with roots and subsequently improve soil health, fruit quality, and overall crop yield. This review highlights the impacts of abiotic stresses on strawberry roots, growth, and hormonal pathways. Moreover, it focuses on the role of beneficial soil microbes in the mitigation of these responses.

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