The nitrogen-fixing symbiosis between legume plants and Rhizobium bacteria is the most prominent plant-microbe endosymbiotic system and, together with mycorrhizal fungi, has critical importance in agriculture. The introduction of two model legume species, Lotus japonicus and Medicago truncatula, has enabled us to identify a number of host legume genes required for symbiosis. A total of 26 genes...

In the establishment of the legume-rhizobial symbiosis, bacterial lipochitooligosaccharide signaling molecules termed Nod factors activate the formation of a novel root organ, the nodule. Nod factors elicit several responses in plant root hair cells, including oscillations in cytoplasmic calcium levels (termed calcium spiking) and alterations in root hair growth. A number of plant mutants with ...

Arbuscular mycorrhizal and ectomycorrhizal symbioses are among the most important drivers of terrestrial ecosystem dynamics. Historically, the two types of symbioses have been investigated separately because arbuscular mycorrhizal and ectomycorrhizal plant species are considered to host discrete sets of fungal symbionts (i.e., arbuscular mycorrhizal and ectomycorrhizal fungi, respectively). Non...

Creating sustainable bioeconomies for the 21st century relies on optimizing the use of biological resources to improve agricultural productivity and create new products. Arbuscular mycorrhizae (phylum Glomeromycota) form symbiotic relationships with over 80% of vascular plants. In return for carbon, these fungi improve plant health and tolerance to environmental stress. This symbiosis is over 4...

Several key characteristics of the species-rich orchid family are due to its symbiotic relationships with pollinators and mycorrhizal fungi. The majority of species are insect pollinated and show strong adaptations for outcrossing, such as pollination by food- and sexual-deception, and all orchids are reliant on mycorrhizal fungi for successful seedling establishment. Recent studies of orchid p...

The arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) symbiosis is the association between fungi of the order Glomales (Zygomycetes) and the roots of terrestrial plants (Harley and Smith, 1983). Conservative estimates suggest that this ancient symbiosis, dating back to the early Devonian age (398 million years ago), affects approximately 90% of the Earth’s land plant species (Remy et al., 1994). This symbiosis is in...

The arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) symbiosis is the association between fungi of the order Glomales (Zygomycetes) and the roots of terrestrial plants (Harley and Smith, 1983). Conservative estimates suggest that this ancient symbiosis, dating back to the early Devonian age (398 million years ago), affects approximately 90% of the Earth’s land plant species (Remy et al., 1994). This symbiosis is in...

The response of plants to arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi involves a temporal and spatial activation of different defence mechanisms. The activation and regulation of these defences have been proposed to play a role in the maintenance of the mutualistic status of the association, however, how these defences affect the functioning and development of arbuscular mycorrhiza remains unclear. A number o...

1. While both arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi and plant and insect genotype are well known to influence plant and herbivore growth and performance, information is lacking on how these factors jointly influence the relationship between plants and their natural herbivores. 2. The aim of the present study was to investigate how a natural community of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi affects the grow...