We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Physio-Biochemical Mechanisms of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Enhancing Plant Resistance to Abiotic Stress
Summary
This review explores how arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, beneficial soil organisms that form partnerships with plant roots, help crops cope with environmental stresses like drought, salinity, and heavy metal contamination. The fungi improve nutrient uptake, water absorption, and antioxidant defenses while triggering beneficial hormonal responses in host plants. The authors note that wider agricultural use of these fungi is limited by challenges in mass production and variability across different crops and soil conditions.
Agricultural innovations in the past decades have addressed the mounting challenges of food, feed, and biofuel security. However, the overreliance on synthetic fertilizers and pesticides in agriculture has exacerbated biodiversity loss, environmental degradation, and soil health deterioration. Leveraging beneficial soil microorganisms, particularly arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi, offers an emerging solution to reduce dependence on synthetic agrochemicals in crop production. Understanding the mechanisms can help maximize AM fungi’s benefits in response to abiotic stresses. In this review, we explore the main mechanisms of AM fungi in promoting soil nutrient mobilization and uptake, increasing water absorption, stimulating antioxidative enzyme activities, altering morphophysiological structure, and performing hormonal crosstalk when mycorrhizal plants face an abiotic stressor. Also, we highlight the necessity of innovating practical ways to cope with variations in AM fungal species, diversity in host species, soil, and environmental conditions, as well as difficulties in mass multiplication for commercialization. Understanding the mechanisms and limitations may help explore the biofertilizer potential of AM fungal symbiosis, benefiting crop production while addressing the environment and soil health issues.
Sign in to start a discussion.
More Papers Like This
Symbiosis—A Perspective on the Effects of Host Traits and Environmental Parameters in Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungal Richness, Colonization and Ecological Functions
This review examines how host plant traits and environmental conditions regulate the richness, diversity, and ecological functions of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. The study highlights how these beneficial soil fungi contribute to sustainable agriculture through improved nutrient uptake, disease control, and stress tolerance, while noting that their effectiveness depends on multiple interacting factors.
Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Advantageous Impact on Sustainable Agroecosystems and Bridge between Plants, Soils, and Humans Health
This review discusses how arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi enhance sustainable agroecosystems by improving plant nutrient uptake, soil structure, and stress tolerance, with implications for reducing dependence on synthetic fertilizers and improving food security. The authors explore links between mycorrhizal health, soil microbiome, and human nutrition.
Editorial: Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi: The Bridge Between Plants, Soils, and Humans
This editorial synthesizes the diverse functional roles of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi as biological bridges between plant roots, soils, and human food systems, highlighting their direct effects including enhanced nutrient acquisition, pollutant immobilization, and induced pathogen tolerance. The piece frames AM symbiosis as a key lever for sustainable agriculture, improving crop yield and quality while mediating soil physical and microbial properties across approximately 70% of all plant species.
Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi attenuate negative impact of drought on soil functions
A meta-analysis combined with greenhouse experiments demonstrated that arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi promote soil aggregation, microbial biomass, and nutrient-cycling enzyme activity, effectively buffering soil functions against drought. This protective effect is relevant to microplastic concerns because soil health is increasingly threatened by plastic pollution, and understanding natural soil defense mechanisms is important for protecting agricultural ecosystems.
Unraveling the Effects of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi on Plant Growth, Nutrient Content, and Heavy Metal Accumulation in the Contaminated Soil: A Meta-analysis
This meta-analysis of 33 studies found that arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi significantly increase heavy metal accumulation in plant roots while reducing it in above-ground tissues, effectively acting as a biofilter. AMF-inoculated plants showed enhanced growth, biomass, and nutrient uptake on polluted land, suggesting a practical bioremediation strategy for contaminated soils.