An international team of researchers has revealed how the wild ancestors of modern crops hold the key to preserving and restoring the planet’s hidden soil biodiversity. The study found that wild crop progenitors (CWPs) support unique and ecologically vital underground microbial communities, offering valuable insights for sustainable agriculture and climate-resilient ecosystems.
The consortium, led by María José Fernández-Alonso of the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Spain, included 25 research groups from 11 countries — Spain, India, Australia, Mexico, the United States, Argentina, China, Germany, Switzerland, Israel and Chile.
From India, Appa Rao Podile from the Department of Plant Sciences, University of Hyderabad along with his team members Ch. Danteswari and PVSRN Sarma participated in field studies involving the wild relative of the crop ‘small millet’, according to a press release issued here on Thursday.
The researchers studied 125 populations representing 10 CWPs collected from their native habitats in various global environments. Detailed analyzes of soil samples revealed that these wild relatives host rich and distinct microbial ecosystems—including bacteria, fungi, protists, and invertebrates—each finely tuned to their specific environmental conditions.
The study identified four main ecoregions shaped by factors such as soil structure, nutrient availability, aridity, pH levels and potential for carbon storage. Despite differences between ecosystems—from deserts to tropical forests and savannas—a shared “core” soil community was found among all CWPs, suggesting a deep evolutionary connection between plants and their soil microbiomes.
Tropical regions were found to be dominated by acidophilic bacteria and fungal parasites, while desert soils supported decaying fungi and heterotrophic protists. Each wild crop species cultivated its own distinct microhabitat, reinforcing its role as a keystone species in maintaining belowground biodiversity.
“Understanding the natural microbiomes of wild crops helps us reconnect agriculture to its ecological roots. These findings pave the way for nature-based solutions that can increase soil fertility and sustainability,” said Mr. Appa Rao.
The research highlights the urgent need to conserve wild crop relatives – not only as genetic resources for plant breeding, but also as reservoirs of microbial diversity essential for healthy soils. It lays the foundation for restoring degraded land, developing climate-resilient agricultural systems, and advancing microbiome-based agricultural technologies, bringing modern agriculture closer to its natural origins.
The study, titled “Native edaphoclimatic regions shape the soil community of wild crop progenitors,” was published in ISME Communications, a prestigious journal of Oxford University Press and the official publication of the International Society for Microbial Ecology (ISME), The Netherlands.
Published – 16 Oct 2025 19:26 IST
