Mycorrhizal Associations

Nutrient acquisition is an important and determining factor for the growth, strength, and productivity of any plant. Its management is very crucial for achieving sustainable agriculture and ensuring global food security. Among all beneficial soil microbes, mycorrhizal fungi form a symbiotic association with the roots of most terrestrial plants that significantly enhances the uptake of many essential nutrients such as phosphorus, nitrogen, and other micronutrients. In addition, mycorrhizal fungi contribute to plant tolerance under water stress conditions by enhancing water absorption, controlling stomatal behavior, and modulating the concentration of plant growth hormones. They also contribute to maintain the soil structure and support the ecosystem stability under changing environmental conditions. By improving nutrient and water utilization efficiency, these symbiotic fungi offer an eco-friendly and low-cost solution to improve the crop yields particularly when the global environment is changing with greater rate, natural resources are significantly altered, and the massive land modifications have occurred in past few decades. They can efficiently contribute to the broader goal of hunger alleviation and food security. This chapter focusses on the understanding of mycorrhizal associations with plants for mechanisms of nutrient uptake, their contribution to water stress resistance, ecosystem services, application in sustainable agriculture, and future research directions, particularly molecular and biotechnology approaches to enhance the efficacy of mycorrhizal partnerships in agriculture.