Plant roots release potent molecules that activate symbiotic fungi and initiate a harmonious relationship. It turns out that the same compounds are detected by parasitic weeds for less benign purposes. Of all the fungi, it is a group known as the Glomeromycota that arguably has the greatest claim to public notice. The reason is that its members form symbiotic associations known as arbuscular mycorrhiza with plant roots, and without this symbiosis our planet s flora would have a very different constitution. The latest episode in under standing how plants communicate with their fungal partners appears on page 824 of this issue. There, Akiyama et al, describe the characterization of a factor that is released by the plant as a component of the symbiotic dialogue.
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