Using new and existing 18S rRNA sequence data, we show that at least five species of glomalean fungi lie outside the previously defined families and diverged very early in the evolution of that group. These five fungi would have been missed by many previous ecological studies because their sequences are not well matched to available taxon-specific primers and they do not stain well with the sta...

Roots of legumes establish symbiosis with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and nodule-inducing rhizobia. The existing nodules systemically suppress subsequent nodule formation in other parts of the root, a phenomenon termed autoregulation. Similarly, mycorrhizal roots reduce further AMF colonization on other parts of the root system. In this work, split- root systems of alfalfa (Medicago sati...

In order to quantify the contribution of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi to plant phosphorus nutrition, the development and extent of the external fungal mycelium and its nutrient uptake capacity are of particular importance. We develop and analyse a model of the growth of AM fungi associated with plant roots, suitable for describing mechanistically the effects of the fungi on solute uptake b...

Recent research has indicated the importance of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in mediating plant coexistence. Coarse-scale studies compare the effects of the presence versus absence of AMF on plant coexistence, a phenomenon that is most relevant in early successional ecosystems where AMF are patchily distributed. By contrast, fine-scale studies investigate interactions that might occur onc...

In addition to their well-recognized roles in plant nutrition and communities, mycorrhizas can influence the key ecosystem process of soil aggregation. Here we review the contribution of mycorrhizas, mostly focused on arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), to soil structure at various hierarchical levels: plant community; individual root; and the soil mycelium. There are a suite of mechanisms by w...

Most organisms engage in beneficial interactions with other species; however, little is known regarding how individuals balance the competing demands of multiple mutualisms. Here we examine three-way interactions among a widespread grass, Schedonorus phoenix, a protective fungal endophyte aboveground, Neotyphodium coenophialum, and nutritional symbionts (arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi) belowgroun...

Mycorrhizal fungi constitute a key functional group of soil biota that greatly contribute to productivity and sustainability of terrestrial ecosystems. These are ubiquitous components of most of the ecosystems throughout the world and are considered key ecological factors in governing the cycles of major plant nutrients and in sustaining the vegetation cover (van der Hejden eta!. 1998; Requena ...

The halophytes Plantago maritima, Aster tripolium, Artemisia santonicum, Puccinellia limosa, Festuca pseudovina and Lepidium crassifolium from two different saline soils of the Hungarian steppe were examined for colonization by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF). The salt aster (A. tripolium) and the sea plantain (P. maritima) were examined more thoroughly by recording root colonization paramet...

The effect of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungus on growth and photosynthetic pigments in medicinally important Coriandrum sativum with different levels of Cadmium (Cd) was investigated. Plants inoculated with and without AM fungi were grown in soil with 0, 50 and 100 Cd mg kg soil. The plants 1 inoculated with AM fungi showed better growth and less toxic symptoms. Photosynthetic pigments were ...

in the present study, the effect of two species of amf, glomus mosseae and glomus intraradices, alone and in combination, was evaluated on the growth criteria, chlorophyll content, and root rot disease caused by fusarium solani f. sp. pisi, on chickpea (cicer arietinum l.) under greenhouse conditions. chickpea seeds were sown into pots containing 100 g of amf inoculum (more than 1,000 propagule...