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Plants use a molecular measuring tape to tell fungal friend from foe

Image: Phys.org

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  • Phys.org · October 15, 2026 18:21
    Chitin, a chain of repeating sugar molecules, is the main building block of fungal cell walls. When fungi grow or are broken down, fragments of chitin chains of different lengths end up in the soil, and plants detect them to monitor the microbes around them.