(A)rbuscular (M)ycorrhizal (F)ungi
In the soil lies a vast and living network of beneficial fungi.
Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF) engage in an ancient symbiosis with plants. The vast majority of our crops actively rely on this powerful symbiosis for nutrients and defense.
The Arbuscule:
A Symbiotic Hub
Inside plant roots, AMF form small, tree-like structures called arbuscules, which are the principal hubs of nutrient exchange. At the arbuscules, the plant provides the fungus with surplus carbon, and the fungus in turn provides mineral nutrients, primarily Phosphorus (P) and Nitrogen (N), which plants need for optimal growth.
Living in Close Quarters
Fungi that live inside plants may prompt us to think of pathogens and disease, but AMF are some of the plant kingdom’s oldest allies. AM symbiosis dates back ~500 million years, when land plants first appeared. Today, up to 80% of all plant species engage in symbiosis with these fungi.
As such, plants have evolved alongside AMF, and many of their vital processes rely on symbiosis. Research shows that AMF may act as an immune system of sorts, helping plants detect disease early and prepare their defenses ahead of infection.
The Hyphal Highway
Healthy fungal networks act like underground highways, transporting water, nutrients, and information between neighbouring plants. How they coordinate this traffic is still largely a mystery.
Research shows that soil disruption and certain chemicals may be harmful to these networks, weakening the benefits they provide to crops.