Advances in Sustainable Agriculture and Horticulture: Towards Resilient, Productive, and Ecologically Sound Food Systems

Accelerating climate change is intensifying the frequency and severity of drought, imposing unprecedented pressures on soil ecosystems and the agricultural systems they sustain. Plants are not passive victims of water limitation: they deploy an array of physiological strategies—from modified root architecture and altered exudate chemistry to the dynamic recruitment of beneficial soil microorganisms—that profoundly reshape the soil environment under water deficit. This review synthesises current understanding of the ways in which plant physiology intersects with three critical and interconnected dimensions of soil health: carbon sequestration, rhizosphere microbiome dynamics, and structural resilience. A narrative review was conducted by reviewing the relevant studies published primarily between 2006 and 2026, which were identified through major scientific databases using Boolean search strategies and selected based on predefined inclusion criteria, methodological rigour, and relevance to the review objectives. Evidence indicates that drought modifies the quantity and composition of root exudates, triggering cascading effects on microbial community assembly, soil aggregate stability, and the persistence of soil organic matter. Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi emerge as particularly important mediators of drought tolerance, with practical implications for sustainable soil management. Integrated management strategies—encompassing deep-rooted cover crops, targeted microbiome inoculation, and organic amendments—offer promising avenues for leveraging plant physiological processes to sustain soil function in water-limited environments. Substantial knowledge gaps persist concerning the stability of plant–microbiome interactions across diverse soil types, the net carbon balance under sustained drought, and the scalability of rhizosphere-informed interventions. Future research must prioritise mechanistic field studies conducted across multiple drought regimes and soil contexts if plant physiological insights are to be effectively translated into soil health policy and practice.