Engineering the Root–Rhizosphere Interface for Durable Striga Resistance

Striga spp. are among the most destructive parasitic weeds of cereals. Resistance has largely been pursued through individual mechanisms, particularly strigolactone (SL) biology and major resistance loci. Here, we propose that pre-attachment resistance is better understood as an emergent property of the integrated root–rhizosphere phenotype, in which root architecture, mucilage, rhizosheath development, microbial communities, and soil hydraulic processes jointly regulate the production, transport, persistence, and perception of host-derived signals. We synthesize recent advances in rhizosphere biology, genetics, multi-omics, imaging, and artificial intelligence to demonstrate how these interacting processes reshape parasite recruitment before attachment. We further outline a breeding framework that integrates root-interface traits with genomic prediction to develop resilient ideotypes that suppress Striga while maintaining nutrient acquisition and beneficial symbioses. This framework establishes the root–rhizosphere interface as a new conceptual and operational target for durable resistance breeding in increasingly variable environments.