Fungi – Plant en Zo

Calling sign

Orchids even before they germinate they are dependent on their symbiotic fungal partner. Their seeds lack the stored energy that seeds of other species have. Now Chinese researchers show that orchid seeds are not waiting for their fungus to arrive but actively entice them with signalling molecules doubling as carbon source.

How soybeans get the most out of offered help

A symbiosis with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi helps plants during nutrient shortages. But in legumes this is slightly different regulated. A new study analysing this finds that once the symbioses is initiated the plant actively recruits more microbes that help.

Shredding dead cells for protection

Shredding dead cells for protection Interestingly microbes are not colonising the root tip. Now researchers show in eLife that is because the tip protecting root cap is actively shredding death cells. Microbes are actively colonising plant roots. Except the growth centre containing tip of the root, which stays free of microbes. The root tip isContinue reading “Shredding dead cells for protection”

Helping hand

Helping hand Plants do better when they get help from in the soil living microbes. New research from Dutch, Belgian and Swiss researchers shows that this effect is increased when these individual microbes also help each other. The soil is full of microbes, fungi and bacteria. Lost of these microbes have a positive effect onContinue reading “Helping hand”