Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi and crops can work together for mutual gain, according to AHDB research. A new Ph.D. studentship report examines how these crop-friendly fungi can be nurtured by management.
Most land plants, including agricultural crops, form beneficial (symbiotic) relationships with AM fungi. When these fungi colonize root cells, they form branch-like structures (arbuscules) that can help transfer nutrients (largely phosphate and nitrogen) to crops.
These fungi may benefit crops in other ways too. For example, some studies show a link between them and crop tolerance to pests, pathogens, and drought. However, some farming practices can reduce the abundance and diversity of AM fungal populations:
- Artificial fertilizers by reducing AM fungi's supply of nutrients to crops.
- Soil disturbance by damaging mycorrhizal networks.
- Bare land by breaking down mycorrhizal networks.
In 2018, AHDB and the AgriFood Charities Partnership funded a Ph.D. studentship project to develop a better understanding of how to tap into the power of these root-loving organisms. Working with NIAB and the University of Cambridge, PhD student George Crane has now submitted the project's findings in a new report.
Read more at thescottishfarmer.co.uk