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The endophyte Moesziomyces antarcticus RS1 improves drought stress tolerance and yield traits in rice
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DOI：10.1186/s40793-026-00948-x.png)
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Abstract
En 中文
Ongoing climate change drives drought events that threaten crop yields worldwide. Traditionally, the focus has been on plant breeding to mitigate losses due to stress; however, this approach fails to leverage the resources available within the holobiont. Microbial treatments have been shown to confer drought tolerance by altering phytohormone levels, enhancing nutrient acquisition, and improving water retention in their plant hosts. However, the role of core seed-associated endophytic fungi in stress resilience remains underexplored. Using Moesziomyces antarcticus RS1, which was previously identified as a core fungus in wild and domesticated rice seed microbiomes, we revealed the functional roles of a core microbe in the host plant’s physiology. M. antarcticus RS1 displayed nutrient- and osmotic stress-responsive dimorphism, consistent with adaptive persistence in the seed endosphere. M. antarcticus RS1 inoculation on rice seed significantly improved yield traits by increasing grain quantity and biomass. Notably, M. antarcticus RS1 seed-inoculated rice performed better under PEG-induced osmotic stress, which was associated with increased osmoprotectant levels and growth benefits observed under PEG-treated and untreated conditions. Treatment of M. antarcticus RS1 was associated with increases in drought-related class 2 and class 3 Late Embryogenesis Abundant gene expression in rice, including a suite of RAB dehydrins. These findings establish M. antarcticus RS1 as a core seed endophyte that improves rice drought tolerance and productivity, positioning it as a novel bioinoculant for sustainable agriculture, particularly in water-limited environments.
Keywords:
Moesziomyces antarcticus
Core microbe
Rice seed microbiome
Drought stress tolerance
Plant growth promotion
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