Nutritional exchanges in the arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis: implications for sustainable agriculture

Research output: Contribution to journalLiterature review

Abstract

The Glomeromycota e the fungi that form arbuscular mycorrhizas e are both abundant,
representing perhaps 10 % or more of soil microbial biomass, and ecologically important,
acting as major conduits in the principal elemental cycles. However, their basic biology
is poorly understood, and the continuing lack of good genome descriptions is a serious
stumbling block. In particular, the mechanism and regulation of transfer of sugars and
mineral nutrients across the symbiotic interface merit further investigation. We extend
a recent model for these transfers to cover nitrogen as well as phosphate, and discuss
the implications of this more general model for the exploitation of arbuscular mycorrhizas
in sustainable agriculture.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)68-72
Number of pages5
JournalFungal Biology Reviews
Volume25
Issue number1
Early online date20 Jan 2011
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Mar 2011

Keywords

  • Mycocentric Nitrogen Nutrient transfer Plant breeding

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