Role of Chlorella fusca in promoting plant health through microbiota regulation in strawberry.

This article investigates how the microalgae species *Chlorella fusca* CHK0059 promotes strawberry plant growth and disease suppression by modulating the plant-associated microbiota. Treatment with CHK0059 increased strawberry leaf number and shoot weight and reduced blossom blight incidence, correlating with changes in microbial alpha diversity in the root endosphere but not overall community composition (beta diversity). Network and metabolic pathway analyses identified three keystone rhizosphere bacteria—*Pseudomonas*, *Duganella*, and *Rhizomicrobium*—that interact with CHK0059 and express the "P461-PWY" hexitol fermentation pathway, producing organic acids that enhance phosphate solubilization and uptake by the plant. These findings suggest that *C. fusca* CHK0059 indirectly promotes plant health by shifting microbiota function to improve nutrient availability and induce systemic resistance, offering insights into its potential as a biofertilizer and natural crop protection agent.