Mycorrhiza

DJ Read, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK

Published online: April 2001

DOI: 10.1038/npg.els.0000372

Mycorrhizas are multifunctional symbiotic associations between fungi and the roots of plants. In most cases, as a result of the symbiosis, the fungi obtain the sugars required to enable their growth and reproduction. The plants, in turn, may gain increased supplies of nutrients, which are captured from soil by the fungi, as well as enhanced resistance to disease and toxicity.

Keywords: fungi; roots; symbiosis; nutrient supply; fitness

Figure 1. Diagrammatic representation of the two categories and six types of mycorrhiza found in nature and described in the text. Fungal tissues are shown in red, plant tissues in black. In each type the diagnostic fungal structures are shown, the nature and directions of the main nutrient movements are indicated, and the main groups of fungi and plants involved are listed. C, carbon (sugars); N, nitrogen; P, phosphorus; K, potassium; Zn, zinc. The sizes of the letters indicate the relative importance of the transfer process within the mycorrhizal type.
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 References
    book Baylis GTS (1975) "The magnolioid mycorrhiza and mycotrophy in root systems derived from it". In: Sanders FE, Mosse B and Tinker PB (eds) Endomycorrhizas, pp. 373–389. London: Academic Press.
    Francis R and Read DJ (1984) Direct transfer of carbon between plants connected by vesicular–arbuscular mycorrhizal mycelium. Nature 307: 53–56.
    Frank AB (1885) On the nutrient providing root-symbiosis between underground fungi and certain trees. Berichte der Deutschen botanischen Gesellschaft 5: 395–409 [in German].
    Morton JB and Benny GL (1990) Revised classification of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (Zygomycetes): a new order, Glomales, two new suborders, Glomineae and Gigasporineae, and two new families, Acaulosporaceae and Gigasporaceae, with an emendation of Glomaceae. Mycotaxonomy 37: 471–491.
    Mosse B (1973) Advances in the study of vesicular–arbuscular mycorrhizas. Annual Review of Phytopathology 11: 170–196.
    Newsham KK, Fitter AH and Merryweather JW (1995) Multifunctionality and biodiversity in arbuscular mycorrhizas. Tree 10: 407–411.
    Read DJ (1991) Mycorrhizas in ecosystems. Experientia 47: 376–391.
    Read DJ (1996) The structure and function of the ericoid mycorrhizal root. Annals of Botany 77: 365–376.
    book Read DJ (1998) "Mycorrhiza – the state of the art". In: Varma A and Hock B (eds) Mycorrhiza: Structure, Function, Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, 2nd edn. Heidelberg: Spinger.
    Simon L, Bousquet J, Levesque RC and Lalonde M (1993) Origin and diversification of endomycorrhizal fungi, and coincidence with vascular land plants. Nature 363: 67–69.
    Smith FA and Smith SE (1996) Mutualism and parasitism: diversity in function and structure in the ‘Arbuscular’ (VA) mycorrhizal symbiosis. Advances in Botanical Research 22: 1–43.
    book Smith SE and Read DJ (1997) Mycorrhizal Symbiosis, 2nd edn. London: Academic Press.
    Taylor DL and Bruns TD (1997) Independent, specialized invasions of ectomycorrhizal mutualism by two nonphotosynthetic orchids. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA 94: 4510–4515.
    book Trappe JM (1987) "Phylogenetic and ecologic aspects of mycotrophy in the angiosperms from an evolutionary standpoint". In: Safir GR (ed.) Ecophysiology of VA Mycorrhizal Plants, pp. 5–25. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press.
    Van der Heijden MG, Klironomus JN, Ursic M et al. (1998) Mycorrhizal fungal diversity determines plant biodiversity ecosystem variability and productivity. Nature 396: 69–72.
 Further Reading
    book Allen MF (1991) Ecology of Mycorrhizae. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
    book Allen MF (ed) (1992) Mycorrhizal Functioning. New York: Chapman & Hall.
    book Norris JR, Read DJ and Varma A (eds) (1992) Methods in Microbiology, vols 23 and 24. London: Academic Press.
    book Rasmussen HN (1995) Terrestrial Orchids: From Seed to Mycotrophic Plant. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
    book Read DJ, Lewis DH, Fitter AH and Alexander IA (eds) (1992) Mycorrhizas in Ecosystems. Wallingford: CAB International.
    book Smith SE and Read DJ (1997) Mycorrhizal Symbiosis, 2nd edn. London: Academic Press.
    book Varma A (1998) Mycorrhiza Manual. Heidelberg: Springer Lab Manual.

Related Sub-Topics:

Mutualism and Symbiosis | Microbial Interactions and Communities | Fungi | Plant Nutrition | Roots and Root Systems
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Article Title: Mycorrhiza
 
How to Cite close
Read, DJ(Apr 2001) Mycorrhiza. In: eLS. John Wiley & Sons Ltd, Chichester. http://www.els.net [doi: 10.1038/npg.els.0000372]