Contribution of mycorrhizae to sustainable and ecological agriculture: A review

Abstract

The aim of the paper is to discuss, on the basis of the recent scientific literature, the potential of mycorrhizae as an important biological factor supporting crop production. Mycorrhizal symbiosis is a multifunctional phenomenon, therefore it should play an important role in sustainable and organic agriculture, but it is still underused. The article focuses on the influence of mycorrhizae on nutrient uptake by plants, as well as exploring the importance of mycorrhizal fungi in promoting plant growth and improving yield quality. Mycorrhizal fungi are factors which limit plant stresses, thereby indirectly contributing to a reduction in the consumption of agrochemicals. The results of many studies show that mycorrhizal symbiosis plays an important role in essential ecosystem processes by regulating the microbiological relationships in the soil, thereby creating a permanent soil structure and protecting it from air and water erosion. The detailed functioning and regulation of these mycorrhizosphere processes and their significance for plants are widely described in the scientific literature, however, the use of mycorrhizae in agriculture is still insufficient. Particular attention should be paid to the potential benefits of mycorrhizae in sustainable agriculture, as well as for ecological and safe plant production.