Strong effects of soil microbes on early-life defense alter phenotypic correlations in plant leaves
Eunnuri Yi, Mikhaela Ferguson, Maria Altamirano Chavez, Linda J. Robinson
The paper investigates how soil microbes affect phenotypic correlations in early-life traits of Medicago lupulina, finding that microbes alter leaf traits like area and trichome density independently of growth.
bioRxiv · Jun 30, 2026 · PreprintPlant Biology