This project is under the umbrella of the Sino-Dutch Agriculture Green Development Program, which is a collaboration between Chinese Agriculture University (CAU) and Wageningen University & Research (WUR). Challenges to food security under conditions of global change are forcing us to increase global crop production. The root exudation, which contains a vast array of compounds released into the soil, plays an important role in soil nutrient retention and supply for sustainable crop production. This project aims to identify the main compound of root exudate of maize that disperses or glues the rhizosphere soil particles, changes the physical structure and chemical properties of the rhizosphere soil, affecting the release and supply of nutrients.