Chapter 7 - Impact of Climate Change on Plant–Microbe Interactions under Agroecosystems

Abstract

Anthropogenic climate change is of prime global concern and directly or indirectly affects the plant and microbial diversity of planet Earth. It is evident that anticipated increase in CO2, temperature, and altered precipitation are major consequences of climate change that has added the complexity and uncertainty to the plants and agroecosystem and threaten their sustainable management. Plant–microbe interactions are an important factor that influence the response of plants to alterations in climatic conditions. However, there are some beneficial plant-associated rhizobacteria and mycorrhiza that play an important role in reducing the ill-effects of climate change, such as drought, salinity, and plant diseases, etc. Apparently, it has been determined that climate change indirectly influences crop quality and plant–microbe relationships through the anthropogenic introduction of xenobiotics (pesticides, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, etc.,) in terrestrial environments, posing risks to soil health by disturbing soil microbial enzyme activities and community structures. Considering the long-term effects of global climate change, it is essential to review the impacts of climate change on various life form sustaining components including soil–plant–microbe relationships with special reference to the belowground environment. This chapter could also help in predicting how plant–microbe interactions respond to climate change as well as the selection of suitable crops that would be able to produce more yields even under multistress conditions.