Molecular Pathogens, 2025, Vol.16, No.6, 276-284 http://microbescipublisher.com/index.php/mp 277 in multiple experiments to have the ability to help plants resist biological or abiotic stresses (Yang et al., 2022; Xia et al., 2024). Sometimes, they are even smarter than traditional pesticides or breeding strategies. This study will clarify the response of the pathogen community of corn root rot and its disease resistance mechanism under soil salinization conditions, integrate the analysis of microbial community structure, plant physiological response and metabolomics changes, and identify the key factors and their interactions that enhance the disease resistance of saline soil. This research is expected to provide information on breeding strategies and management measures for increasing corn yield and sustainability in salinized areas, thereby addressing the challenges brought by soil salinization and root rot. 2 Effects of Soil Salinization on Soil Environment and Microorganisms 2.1 Changes in soil physicochemical properties under salt-alkali stress (pH, electrical conductivity, organic matter, etc.) Once salt accumulates excessively in the soil, the change is not as simple as just "a little saltier". The pH value will soar and the electrical conductivity will also increase, while the organic matter and available nutrients in the soil are constantly being lost. In terms of nutrients, an increase in sodium ions leads to a decrease in potassium, which is useful for plant growth. As a result, the structure and fertility of the entire soil will deteriorate (Haj-Amor et al., 2022). In addition, this kind of salt stress will also reduce the organic carbon in the soil and damage the enzyme activity. If this continues for a long time, both the health of the soil and agricultural productivity will be compromised. 2.2 Impact of salinity on soil microbial diversity and community structure Not all microorganisms can withstand high-salt environments. Once soil salinity rises, it acts like a filter, directly altering the composition of soil microorganisms. Especially for bacterial communities, the number of species will decrease. The proportion of those that can adapt to high salt, such as Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes, will increase, while groups that are "less salt-tolerant", such as actinomycetes and Acidobacteria, will significantly decrease (Li et al., 2021). The same is true for fungi. Ascomycota becomes more active under high-salt conditions (Yang et al., 2020; He et al., 2025). The entire microbial network becomes unstable and less complex in structure. The impact on key ecological functions such as the nitrogen and phosphorus cycle is obvious, and the overall ecological function of the soil thus declines (Yang et al., 2024). 2.3 Ecological effects of salinization on the survival and spread of soil-borne pathogens It is worth noting that salinization also has an impact on pathogenic bacteria - and it makes them more "active". When the soil environment deteriorates and beneficial bacteria decrease, certain pathogenic bacteria take the opportunity to multiply and spread instead. The microbial network becomes simple and fragile, and the natural disease suppression ability will also decline accordingly, which makes soil-borne diseases such as corn root rot more likely to break out (Zhang et al., 2019). From this perspective, maintaining microbial diversity and soil health is not only about improving soil quality, but also about building an "invisible defense line" for agricultural production to minimize the risk of diseases caused by salinization as much as possible. 3 Composition and Ecological Response of Maize Root Rot Pathogenic Communities 3.1 Major pathogenic fungi causing root rot Not all pathogens causing corn root rot are equally fierce. Several "familiar faces" in the genus Fusarium - Fusarium graminearum, Fusarium moniliforme, Fusarium verticillioides and Fusarium common (commune) - Frequently reported in cornfields everywhere and closely related to diseases (Wang et al., 2020; Mezzalama et al., 2021; Peremore et al., 2025). They can not only lead to root rot and crown rot, but also cause the stems to turn brown, the plants to wilt, and in severe cases, the entire plant to fall over. Toxin problems often occur as well, directly affecting yield and food safety. Sometimes, fungi like the genus Aspergillus also get involved, but according to current research, Fusarium remains the main force and has the strongest infectivity.
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