Nitrogen acquisition and selective bacterial attraction through fungal hyphae promote plant growth and health under nitrogen limitation

Plants alleviate nitrogen (N) deficiency through interactions with beneficial microbes, yet mechanisms underlying plant-fungus-bacterium mediated plant growth promotion (PGP) remain poorly understood. Here, we show that the root endophytic fungus Colletotrichum tofieldiae (Ct) enhances the growth of diverse plant species beyond the Brassicaceae under N deficient field and lab conditions. Optimal Ct-mediated PGP requires Arabidopsis thaliana nitrate transporters (AtNRT2.1/2.2/2.4/2.5), as well as the fungal N utilization regulator CtAREA. Isotopic tracing with ¹⁵ NO _3- reveals that Ct transfers N to hosts via CtAREA-dependent yet AtNRT2s-independent route, implicating distinct, parallel pathways in PGP. Moreover, Ct attracts the beneficial bacterium Paraburkholderia monticola through its hyphae, which metabolizes organic N sources and additively enhances plant growth with Ct. Notably, P. monticola suppressed the pathogenic transition of Ct in plant mutants defective in Brassicaceae-specific tryptophan-derived metabolism, potentially accounting for Ct’s broad beneficial activities. This plant-fungus-bacteria interaction may secure consistent PGP across varied agricultural settings.