Root hair

The length of root hairs allows them to penetrate between soil particles and prevents harmful bacterial organisms from entering the plant through the xylem vessels.

The root hairs curl around the bacteria, which allows for the formation of an infection thread into the dividing cortical cells to form the nodule.

[13] This highly branched structure serves as an interface between the two organisms as fungal cells adapt to the exchanges that occur between the plant and fungus.

[14] This process is similar to how AM fungi colonize root hairs, but instead of diffusible factors, they secrete hydrolases to relax the cell wall, which allows hyphae to enter, and there is no Hartig net.

Upon detection of deficiency, the drought stress response of the plant is triggered, causing growth of the root hairs.

[12] The mycorrhizae of the fungus then uses its extended system to help the plant find the correct area of nutrition, signaling the direction in which the roots should grow.

[citation needed] Repotting or transplanting a plant can result in root hair cells being pulled off, perhaps to a significant extent, which can cause wilting.