Symbiosis between plants and mycorrhiza-forming fungi can contribute ecosystem services such as improved plant nutrient supply and increased tolerance to biotic and abiotic stress.
New handbook on mycorrhizae
Can we harness mycorrhiza, which is a symbiosis between plants and mycorrhizal fungi, to promote plant health and resilience in horticultural cropping systems? A handbook has recently been produced by SLU and Växa Sweden with the aim of giving growers, advisors and other interested parties an introduction to mycorrhiza and the potential importance of symbiosis for the plant. The handbook also covers how environmental factors and cultivation measures can affect both mycorrhizal formation and the effect of the symbiosis on the host plant.
Strategies to promote symbiosis in cultivation are discussed. The authors emphasize, however, that mycorrhiza is not a "quick fix". The interactions between plants, mycorrhizal fungi and other organisms in the root zone are very complex, and are also affected by soil and climate. The handbook has been financed by the Swedish Agricultural Agency with funds from the Rural Development Program and the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development.
