Volatile Signaling by Sesquiterpenes from Ectomycorrhizal Fungi Reprograms Root Architecture

The study from February 23, 2015, explored how volatile organic compounds (VOCs), particularly sesquiterpenes (SQTs), produced by ectomycorrhizal fungi affect plant root development. The researchers discovered that VOCs from the fungus Laccaria bicolor significantly increased lateral root (LR) formation in Populus and Arabidopsis plants, even without direct contact between the fungus and the plant. The SQT (-)-thujopsene was identified as a compound capable of stimulating LR growth. In contrast, the fungus Cenococcum geophilum, which does not produce SQTs, did not promote LR growth. The study also found that VOCs from L. bicolor could increase root hair length in a reactive oxygen species (ROS)-dependent manner. The findings suggest that SQTs are important signals in plant-fungus interactions, enhancing root surface area for nutrient uptake and facilitating a symbiotic relationship. However, the number of plants used in the experiments was not specified in the summary provided.