Ethylene promotes root hair growth through coordinated EIN3/EIL1 and RHD6/RSL1 activity in Arabidopsis

Significance Root hairs are unicellular extensions of root epidermal cells that help plants increase water and nutrient uptake and improve soil anchorage, both of which are crucial for the globally recognized goal of yield improvement with reduced fertilizer use. Previous studies have implicated numerous genes and phytohormones in the control of root hair development. This work uncovers the molecular mechanism of ethylene (ET)-promoted root hair growth and identifies a transcriptional complex consisting of EIN3/EIL1 and RHD6/RSL1 as the key regulator of root hair initiation and elongation. As ET mediates the effects of various root hair stimuli, this work also elucidates a convergent signaling network that integrates diverse environmental cues and intrinsic signals to modulate plant organ development.