Millions of microorganisms inhabit the soil, and some of them contribute to the growth of plants. To gain a better understanding of how microbes promote plant growth, we compared the impact of fungal and bacterial communities on litter decomposition and plant growth. Our study revealed that fungi
Plants have a dynamic immune system to protect themselves against pathogens. Recognition of a pathogen leads to the activation of this immune system, steered by different phytohormones. One of these, salicylic acid, regulates plant responses to biotrophic pathogens that thrive on living host tissue.
