Fusarium sp. Strain K-23 Alleviates Salt Stress in Arabidopsis thaliana Through Its Root Hair Growth-Promoting Effect

The study investigates the role of Fusarium sp. strain K-23 in enhancing salt tolerance in Arabidopsis thaliana by promoting root hair growth. Using transcriptomics, phenomics, reverse genetics, and live cell imaging, researchers identified that the fungus induces the expression of the NAC transcription factor JUNGBRUNNEN 1 (JUB1), which represses gibberellin biosynthesis. This repression supports sustained root hair growth under salt stress, a condition that usually inhibits such growth. The findings suggest that the interaction between Arabidopsis and Fusarium sp. strain K-23 could be a potential strategy to improve plant resilience to soil salinity, which affects a significant portion of global soils and threatens food security for over 1.5 billion people.