Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi enhance drought resistance and alter microbial communities in maize rhizosphere soil

Although the benefits of inoculation with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) for mitigating drought stress and enhancing plant growth of host are well‐studied, our understanding of their interactions with soil attributes and rhizosphere microbial communities remains limited. In the present study, we conducted a pot experiment to explore how AMF affects maize growth, antioxidant activity, soil properties, and the rhizosphere microbial communities under drought stress. The results showed that AMF inoculation during drought stress resulted in improved maize seedling growth, significantly increasing plant biomass (42.7%), chlorophyll content (13.4%), and antioxidant capacity. It also enhanced soil nutrient availability and microbial biomass. We observed significant shifts in the structure and composition of the rhizosphere microbial community with AMF inoculation under drought conditions when compared to those under well-watered conditions. Significantly, bacterial diversity and composition showed greater sensitivity to drought stress than fungal communities. This was attributed to plants preferentially reducing the supply of carbon sources to bacterial rather than to fungal communities under drought conditions. AMF inoculation also enhanced the complexity (e.g., degree) and stability of the rhizosphere microbial ecological network, suggesting closer ecological interactions within the soil microbial community. Furthermore, bacterial diversity and richness played a more important role in soil function than those of fungal communities under drought stress, particularly with AMF inoculation. Overall, our findings suggest that AMF inoculation alters soil microbial diversity and interactions, highlighting their key roles in enhancing plant stress tolerance and mitigating the negative effects of drought on agricultural ecosystems. • We explored how AMF contributes to plant growth and resilience to drought • Drought stress reduces maize biomass, mitigated by AMF • AMF improves soil enzyme activities and microbial biomass • Microbial communities with complex interrelations can mitigate drought stress