Researchers discovered that a special fungus called Leucocalocybe mongolica, when added to soil, significantly improves rice plant growth without requiring chemical fertilizers. Plants grown in fungus-treated soil developed more branches (tillers), had longer roots, and contained more chlorophyll, making them greener and healthier. The study revealed that the fungus works by altering soil nutrients and triggering specific genes in rice roots that boost growth-promoting hormones and improve how plants process energy.