Abstract: Root exudates play an important role in soil carbon balance, acting as an important medium for material and energy exchange and information transfer between plant roots and soil, and also one of a crucial forms for plant responses to environmental changes. Frequent extreme drought events accompanied with global climate change have imposed a profound impact on both above- and below-ground plant growth processes. However, significant limitation exists in understanding the responses of root exudates and their mediated rhizosphere priming effect to drought due to the complexity of root-soil interface interactions and the limitation in devices and methods for collecting root exudates. This paper reviews the effects of drought on the quantity and quality of plant root exudates, with emphasis on the rhizosphere priming effect mediated by root exudates under drought stress. The future research focuses on root exudates was also discussed. This study will provide suggestion for soil carbon sink assessment under the future climate change.

Key words: drought stress, root exudates, rhizosphere priming effect, soil microorganism, soil nutrient