Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi for Sustainable Crop Protection and Production

Abstract

Modern agriculture is confounded by many challenges like reduced fertility and sustainability of agricultural soils resulting from decades of irrational use of chemical fertilizers and biocides to scale up crop productivity. Currently, alternative means of crop nutrition and protection are being widely explored which also include soil microorganisms and plant–microbe interactions that could benefit crop growth. Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi are an integral part of plant development as they play a pivotal role in satisfying the nutrient demand of plants in several ecosystems including the agroecosystems. Besides, AM fungi also safeguard plants against various biotic and abiotic stresses, ameliorate soil structure, and influence soil microbial communities. There is clear evidence that AM fungi can reduce the use of synthetic chemicals in crop production systems. Nevertheless, several practices of conventional agriculture like the development of crop varieties that are less dependent on AM symbiosis, application of synthetic chemicals, and tillage affect AM fungi. In this chapter, the role of AM fungi in improving crop production and protection are explored. Further, this chapter also highlights the significance of AM fungi in sustainable crop production systems and emphasizes the need to develop cultivation practices for effective utilization of these useful soil fungi.KeywordsArbusculesDiversityGlomeromycotaMicrobial interactionMycorrhizal symbiosisMycorrhizospherePhosphorusStressSustainable agriculture