Ethylene signal-driven plant-multitrophic association boosts crop performance

Ethylene signal-driven plant-multitrophic association boosts crop performance | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Article Ethylene signal-driven plant-multitrophic association boosts crop performance Peng Yu, Marcel Baer, Yanting Zhong, Baogang Yu, Tian Tian, Xiaoming He, and 19 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-9344086/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Under Review Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Efficient nutrient acquisition in crops depends on coordinated interactions between plant roots and associated microbiota. Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi enhance root system plasticity, yet the underlying regulatory mechanisms remain incompletely understood. Here, we investigate AM fungus–induced lateral root development in maize (Zea mays) and identify ethylene-responsive transcription factors (ERFs) as key regulators of pericycle cell division. ERF activity is associated with ethylene biosynthesis genes ACS6 and ACS7 and is required for AM fungus–stimulated lateral root formation. We further observe that AM colonization is accompanied by shifts in flavonoid profiles, including reduced accumulation of flavonols such as kaempferol and quercetin. In addition, the rhizobacterium Massilia associates with fungal hyphae and displays context-dependent effects on root development. Together, these findings support a model in which ethylene signaling and ERF activity contribute to AM-induced root developmental responses, with flavonoid metabolism and hyphosphere-associated bacteria representing additional modulatory components. Biological sciences/Plant sciences/Plant symbiosis/Arbuscular mycorrhiza Biological sciences/Microbiology/Biofilms Biological sciences/Plant sciences/Plant development/Plant morphogenesis Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi Massilia Ethylene response factor Flavonoids Lateral root Maize Pericycle Full Text Additional Declarations There is NO Competing Interest. Supplementary Files Supplementaryfiguresandtables.pdf Suppemental figures and tables Cite Share Download PDF Status: Under Review Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-9344086","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":631565432,"identity":"fe0ca308-2d96-44e5-b849-aca53367b826","order_by":0,"name":"Peng 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