Arbuscular mycorrhiza

Arbuscular mycorrhiza is a widespread symbiosis in which fungi colonize plant roots and form branched arbuscules inside root cells, exchanging mineral nutrients for plant sugars and lipids.

Arbuscule: A finely branched fungal structure formed inside a root cell, where nutrient exchange with the plant occurs. Its branching creates the intimate interface at the heart of this symbiosis.
Mycorrhiza: A symbiotic association between a fungus and a plant root. Arbuscular mycorrhiza is one major form of this broader root–fungus partnership.
Plant phosphorus nutrition: The processes by which plants acquire and use phosphorus for growth and metabolism. Fungal hyphae can improve access to poorly mobile soil phosphate.
Plant terrestrialization: The evolutionary transition of plants from aquatic environments to life on land. Fungal partnerships are considered among the interactions that aided early land plants.
Mycorrhizal mutualism: A beneficial exchange between mycorrhizal fungi and plants, whose net effects vary with conditions. The balance of nutrient gains and carbon costs is not always mutually beneficial.
Mycorrhizal nutrient exchange: The transfer of mineral nutrients from mycorrhizal fungi to plants in return for plant-derived carbon compounds. This reciprocal trade is the symbiosis’s central function.
Plant root: The plant organ that anchors the plant and absorbs water and mineral nutrients from soil. Root cells host fungal structures, while the root supplies photosynthetic carbon.
Sustainable agriculture: Agricultural systems that seek long-term productivity while limiting environmental harm and resource depletion. Managing native fungal partnerships can support crop nutrition and reduce reliance on inputs.
Early land plants: The earliest plants that adapted to terrestrial environments during the Paleozoic Era. Fossils preserve structures resembling ancient plant–fungus associations.
Common mycorrhizal network: A fungal network linking the roots of multiple plants through shared hyphae. The extent and ecological consequences of resource transfer between connected plants remain debated.

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