A new study in Nature Plants, co-authored by MiCRop researcher Jos Raaijmakers, shows how the root endophyte Flavobacterium sp. 98 can improve plant performance under drought.

The bacterium promotes the formation and growth of root hairs in several plant species, including Arabidopsis and wheat. These effects are mediated by ethylene signalling and an ERF115/ERF114–CEP5 regulatory pathway, which helps plants maintain root development under water-limited conditions. The findings highlight how plant–microbe interactions could contribute to the development of more drought-resilient crops.

Read the whole article here.