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Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi and Uptake of Nutrients

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Symbiotic Endophytes

Part of the book series: Soil Biology ((SOILBIOL,volume 37))

Abstract

The soil fungi arbuscular mycorrhizae (AM) are able to establish a mutual symbiosis with their host plant, in which the necessary carbon for the use of fungi is exchanged with water and nutrients. The presence of the host plant for the development of the fungi is necessary, although the fungal spores are able to germinate in the absence of the host plant. For the initiation of the symbiotic association, there must be some kind of biochemical dialogue between the fungi and the host plant, which results in morphological and physiological changes in the two symbionts. After the establishment of the symbiosis, the extensive hyphal network is able to significantly enhance plant uptake for water and nutrients as it is able to grow even into the finest soil pores where the root hairs are not able to grow. The unique properties of AM fungi make them a suitable symbiont for its host plant under different conditions including stress. Among the most important reasons which can increase plant tolerance under stress is the enhanced uptake of water and nutrients by AM fungi. Mycorrhizal symbiosis is able to increase the uptake of almost all nutrients. However, the impact of AM fungi on the uptake of phosphorus (P) is more pronounced related to the other nutrients as the fungi are able to produce enzymes such as phosphatase. Accordingly, the conditions of soil and plant P can affect mycorrhizal performance because the increased level of P can adversely influence P uptake by the fungi. There are some molecular processes, controlling the uptake of nutrients by the fungi and the host plant. In this chapter some of the most important findings, related to the uptake of nutrients by AM fungi and hence the host plant, are presented. There are also some details regarding the parameters, which may enhance the fungal ability for the uptake of nutrients.

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  1. Mehrabad Rudehen, Imam Ali Blvd., Mahtab Alley, #55, 3978147395, Tehran, Iran

    M. Miransari

  2. Abtin Berkeh Limited Co., Imam Blvd., Shariati Blvd. # 107, 3973173831, Rudehen, Tehran, Iran

    M. Miransari

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  1. Departamento de Microbiología del Suelo y Sistemas Simbióticos, Estación Experimental del Zaidín (CSIC), Granada, Spain

    Ricardo Aroca

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Miransari, M. (2013). Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi and Uptake of Nutrients. In: Aroca, R. (eds) Symbiotic Endophytes. Soil Biology, vol 37. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-39317-4_13

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