This article, published in the Journal of Experimental Botany, explores the role of calcium (Ca2+) signaling in plant-microbe interactions, specifically in symbiotic relationships. The study used a calcium indicator to quantify Ca2+ signaling in the cytoplasm and nucleus of Lotus japonicus plants treated with fungal elicitors. The researchers found that fungal elicitors trigger biphasic Ca2+ signaling, which had previously been overlooked. The study provides new insights into how plants distinguish between different fungal molecules to engage in symbiotic or immune responses. Further research is needed to understand the specific functions of Ca2+ increases during symbiosis and to identify the proteins involved in decoding different Ca2+ signals. [Extracted from the article]