Metabarcoding and Metabolome Analyses Reveal Mechanisms of Leymus chinensis Growth Promotion by Fairy Ring of Leucocalocybe mongolica

This research investigated how fairy rings – circular patterns of mushroom growth in grasslands – can promote plant growth naturally without fertilizers. The study found that these fairy rings change the beneficial microbes living inside plants and alter plant metabolism in ways that enhance growth and stress resistance. This has important real-world implications: • Could reduce chemical fertilizer use in agriculture • Provides a natural way to improve grass growth for livestock grazing • Demonstrates sustainable methods for improving crop yields • Helps understand how fungi and bacteria work together to benefit plants • Could lead to development of new bio-based fertilizers