Crop production in arid and semi-arid regions of the world is limited by several abiotic factors, including water stress, temperature extremes, low soil fertility, high soil pH, low soil water-holding capacity, and low soil organic matter. Moreover, arid and semi-arid areas experience low levels of rainfall with high spatial and temporal variability. Also, the indiscriminate use of chemicals, a practice that characterizes current agricultural practice, promotes crop and soil pollution potentially resulting in serious human health and environmental hazards. A reliable and sustainable alternative to current farming practice is, therefore, a necessity. One such option includes the use of plant growth-promoting microbes that can help to ameliorate some of the adverse effects of these multiple stresses. In this regard, archaea, functional components of the plant microbiome that are found both in the rhizosphere and the endosphere may contribute to the promotion of plant growth. Archaea can survive in extreme habitats such as areas with high temperatures and hypersaline water. No cases of archaea pathogenicity towards plants have been reported. Archaea appear to have the potential to promote plant growth, improve nutrient supply and protect plants against various abiotic stresses. A better understanding of recent developments in archaea functional diversity, plant colonizing ability, and modes of action could facilitate their eventual usage as reliable components of sustainable agricultural systems. The research discussed herein, therefore, addresses the potential role of archaea to improve sustainable crop production in arid and semi-arid areas.

中文翻译：

---

植物-古菌关系：提高干旱和半干旱地区作物产量的潜在手段

世界干旱和半干旱地区的作物生产受到若干非生物因素的限制，包括缺水、极端温度、低土壤肥力、高土壤 pH 值、低土壤持水能力和低土壤有机质。此外，干旱和半干旱地区降雨量低，时空变化大。此外，不分青红皂白地使用化学品，这是当前农业实践的特点，加剧了作物和土壤污染，可能导致严重的人类健康和环境危害。因此，一种可靠且可持续的替代当前耕作方式是必要的。其中一种选择包括使用促进植物生长的微生物，这有助于减轻这些多重压力的一些不利影响。在这方面，古细菌、在根际和内圈中发现的植物微生物组的功能成分可能有助于促进植物生长。古细菌可以在极端栖息地生存，例如高温和高盐水地区。尚无古细菌对植物致病的报道。古细菌似乎具有促进植物生长、改善营养供应和保护植物免受各种非生物胁迫的潜力。更好地了解古细菌功能多样性、植物定殖能力和作用方式的最新发展，可以促进它们最终用作可持续农业系统的可靠组成部分。因此，本文讨论的研究解决了古细菌在改善干旱和半干旱地区可持续作物生产方面的潜在作用。