Influence of Soil Temperature on Root Development and Microbial Diversity in Paddy Fields: A Comprehensive Review
Authors:   Faculty of Plantation and Agrotechnology, UiTM Cawangan Melaka Kampus Jasin, 77300 Merlimau, Melaka, Malaysia, Patah Siti Farahin Abdull , Othman Nur Maizatul Idayu ,   Faculty of Plantation and Agrotechnology, UiTM Cawangan Melaka Kampus Jasin, 77300 Merlimau, Melaka, Malaysia,   Soil Conservation and Management Research Interest Group (RIG), Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), 40450, Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia
Published: January 2025

Background:
The expected global climate change, in addition to increasing air temperature and CO2 levels, will manifest itself in changes in precipitation and various physical, chemical and biological soil indicators that are responsible for its fertility and productivity. Potential impact of global warming on soil fertility will primarily manifest itself in changes in soil hydrology and temperature. Changes in soil temperature and physicochemical properties due to climate warming ultimately affect crops.

Objectives:
The current review aims to systematize some of the key advances in the relationship between soil temperature, root development and microbial communities. It is hoped that organizing the results achieved to date will allow other researchers to better understand the existing gaps and continue to advance this field of knowledge to address climate change and its impacts. Because the right choice of future research should contribute to achieving SDG 2 "Zero Hunger" by 2030.

Methods:
When writing the review, analysis and synthesis were used, mainly of recent scientific publications in the studied field of knowledge, as well as induction and deduction of the information obtained. There were no research restrictions on the type of publication, the country of the authors, the language, or the number of citations. For the review, mainly recent sources no older than 10 years were selected.

Results:
Microorganisms respond within their limitations when exposed to temperature variations. Different microbial species may have very different soil temperature preferences; and slow temperature variations favour the selection of the fittest species, allowing the microbial community to adapt. The most significant environmental factor affecting the development and activity of microorganisms in soil is temperature in combination with water content. Soil respiration refers to the transfer of CO2 from soil to air, primarily by soil microorganisms and plant roots. The rate of soil respiration decreases exponentially with increasing latitude and increases with increasing temperature. Several field and laboratory studies have shown a positive correlation between soil respiration and temperature. Rising global temperatures are expected to increase the respiration rate of bacteria that break down organic carbon in soils, resulting in a 40% increase in CO2 emissions.

Conclusion:
In the future, plant and microbial activity variations will be closely related to changes in soil temperature and moisture, and these micro-ecological interactions will be critical in nutrient availability and net ecosystem productivity. Microbes determined to be beneficial are an essential component in maintaining soil quality and paddy production. Despite increasing temperature stress tolerance, heat and cold shocks continue to limit rice output. The physiology of temperature-sensitive root mechanisms in rice and the interaction between shoot and root growth should be better understood to better understand. Because the effects of soil chemical and microbial activity were included in the soil temperature treatments in this study, it was necessary to separate these indirect effects from the direct sensitivity of the root growth process to changes in soil temperature.