Mutually beneficial interactions between bacteria and Arabidopsis promote phosphorus nutrition and growth.

Mutualistic interactions between Arabidopsis and Acinetobacter bacteria enhance phosphorus nutrition under deficiency, with bacteria mobilizing inaccessible P in soil.

• Why it matters: Understanding plant-microbe relationships that improve nutrient uptake is crucial for sustainable agriculture, especially under nutrient-limited conditions, yet such mutualisms remain largely unexplored.
• What they did: The study analyzed root-associated microbiomes and found that P-deprived Arabidopsis secretes malate to recruit Acinetobacter bacteria, which then utilize host-derived nutrients to mobilize P at the rhizoplane in P-deficient soil.
• The result: This mutualistic strategy significantly boosts P acquisition for both bacteria and plant, revealing a non-mycorrhizal pathway that could inform crop nutrient management in P-impoverished environments.