Rhizophagus irregularis

Roles of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in plant growth and disease management for sustainable agriculture

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Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi are beneficial fungi that live in plant roots and form a mutually beneficial relationship with plants. These fungi help plants absorb more nutrients and water from the soil, strengthen their natural defenses against diseases and pests, and work together with other helpful soil bacteria to create disease-suppressive soil. This makes AMF a promising natural alternative to chemical pesticides and fertilizers for sustainable agriculture.

Mycelial dynamics in arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi

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This review examines the intricate underground networks formed by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, which partner with most land plants to help them absorb nutrients from soil. These fungal networks are far more complex and dynamic than previously recognized, expanding through the soil in coordinated wave-like patterns and responding flexibly to changing environmental conditions. The research highlights that viewing these fungal networks as a unified, responsive system rather than separate parts can help us better understand how they support plant growth and maintain healthy ecosystems.

Low spatial mobility of associated microbes along the hyphae limits organic nitrogen utilization in the arbuscular mycorrhizal hyphosphere

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This research examines how fungi and bacteria work together to help plants get nitrogen from organic matter in soil. The study found that fungal networks cannot effectively transport bacteria to distant nutrient sources. Instead, bacteria and fungi must be close to organic materials like chitin to successfully break them down and make nitrogen available to plants.

The Small Key to the Treasure Chest: Endogenous Plant Peptides Involved in Symbiotic Interactions

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Plants use tiny signaling molecules called peptides to communicate with beneficial soil organisms like nitrogen-fixing bacteria and fungi. These peptides act like chemical messengers that help plants decide when to allow these microbes to enter their roots and form helpful relationships. The review identifies over a dozen peptide families that control nodule formation, nutrient uptake, and immune responses, revealing how plants have evolved sophisticated mechanisms to balance protection against harmful pathogens while welcoming beneficial partners.

Research landscape of experiments on global change effects on mycorrhizas

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Scientists conducted a comprehensive survey of research on how mycorrhizal fungi (underground fungi that partner with plant roots) respond to global environmental changes like drought and pollution. They found that most research focuses on just one stressor at a time, with very few studies examining how multiple environmental changes together affect these important fungi. The research also showed significant geographic biases, with most studies concentrated in developed countries, leaving major knowledge gaps about mycorrhizal responses in understudied regions.

Plants, fungi, and antifungals: A little less talk, a little more action

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Researchers propose looking at how plants communicate with fungi to discover new antifungal medicines. Plants send chemical signals to fungi, and understanding these signals could help us develop better treatments for fungal infections in humans and crops. By studying a simple yeast model, scientists found that plant molecules called strigolactones control fungal phosphate metabolism, suggesting they could become new drug targets.

Plant–Fungi Mutualism, Alternative Splicing, and Defense Responses: Balancing Symbiosis and Immunity

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Fungi form beneficial partnerships with plant roots, helping plants absorb nutrients and resist stress. A key process called alternative splicing allows cells to make different versions of proteins from the same genes, fine-tuning how plants and fungi cooperate. This review explains how alternative splicing acts like a molecular switch that balances the plant’s immune system with accepting the beneficial fungus, and how understanding this could help farmers grow healthier crops with less chemical fertilizers.

Arbuscular mycorrhiza suppresses microbial abundance, and particularly that of ammonia oxidizing bacteria, in agricultural soils

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This study examined how beneficial fungal partners of plants (arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi) affect soil bacteria that convert ammonia to nitrate. Using 50 different soils from Czech agricultural fields, researchers found that these fungi suppress ammonia-oxidizing bacteria, but surprisingly this happens even when ammonia levels in soil are high. The findings suggest the relationship between these microorganisms is more complex than simple competition for nutrients.

Arbuscular mycorrhiza suppresses microbial abundance, and particularly that of ammonia oxidizing bacteria, in agricultural soils

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This study examined how a beneficial fungus called arbuscular mycorrhiza affects bacteria that break down ammonia in soil. Researchers tested 50 different agricultural soils and found that the fungus suppressed ammonia-oxidizing bacteria populations. Interestingly, the presence of the fungus actually increased ammonia levels in soil while decreasing nitrate, suggesting the relationship is more complex than simple competition for nutrients.

Effect of Inoculation with Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (Rhizophagus irregularis BGC AH01) on the Soil Bacterial Community Assembly

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This study examined how arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (a beneficial fungus that partners with plant roots) influence soil bacteria communities over time. Researchers grew maize plants with and without this fungus and tracked bacterial changes over 90 days. They found that the fungus creates a more stable and diverse bacterial community that reaches equilibrium around 60 days, helping improve nutrient availability for plant growth.

Fungal Species: Rhizophagus irregularis