The intraradical portion of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi comprises mycelium, vesicles, and special physiological interfaces termed arbuscules; sometimes mycorrhizal fungi also produce spores within their hosts. Arbuscules are ephemeral structures that collapse after a few days, while the hyphae and vesicles appear to remain intact for some time after arbuscule senescence (post-arbuscule st...

Colonization of root cortical cells by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi leads to marked cytological changes of plastids and mitochondria. Plastids in particular are forming tubular extensions partially connecting individual organelles in a network-like way. These cytological changes correspond to an increased need for plastid and mitochondrial products during establishment and functioning of the sy...

Soil receptivity to arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi tests the capacity of a soil to favour the mycorrhizal development after inoculation. Thus, receptivity is a key criterion to assess whether the introduction of non-indigenous AM fungi will successfully improve plant growth. Two experiments were set up to investigate the receptivity of a moderately acidic wheat-growing soil of the Argentinea...

The formation of symbiotic associations with arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi is a phenomenon common to the majority of vascular flowering plants. Here, we used cDNA arrays to examine transcript profiles in Medicago truncatula roots during the development of an AM symbiosis with Glomus versiforme and during growth under differing phosphorus nutrient regimes. Three percent of the genes examined...

Plants can defend themselves to pathogen and herbivore attack by responding to chemical signals that are emitted by attacked plants. It is well established that such signals can be transferred through the air. In theory, plants can also communicate with each other through underground common mycorrhizal networks (CMNs) that interconnect roots of multiple plants. However, until now research focus...

The effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungus (Glomus mosseae) and phosphorus (P) addition (100 mg/kg soil) on arsenic (As) uptake by maize plants (Zea mays L.) from an As-contaminated soil were examined in a glasshouse experiment. Non-mycorrhizal and zero-P addition controls were included. Plant biomass and concentrations and uptake of As, P, and other nutrients, AM colonization, root leng...