Root exudates mediating plant–soil–microbe interactions: regulation of plant growth and environmental remediation

Abstract

Root exudates are key substances mediating plant-soil-microbe interactions and regulating plant growth, soil ecology and pollutant transformation. They exert dual regulatory effects on plant growth: growth promotion is achieved through nutrient chelation, redox activation and beneficial microbial recruitment, whereas autotoxic allelochemical accumulation and excessive ROS production induce growth inhibition. For organic pollutants, root exudates accelerate contaminant degradation via co-metabolism and enzyme induction. For heavy metals, root exudates trigger two opposing mechanisms: mobilization for metal phytoextraction and immobilization for in-situ stabilization. These regulatory outcomes are modulated by plant species, stress conditions, experimental systems, and other factors. Future research directions include multi-omics analysis, green regulation of continuous cropping obstacles and combined-pollution response mechanisms, providing theoretical support for rhizosphere ecology, soil remediation and sustainable agriculture