Importance of mycorrhizae in tropical soils

Abstract

Mycorrhizae have evolved together with vascular plants, and they are widespread in all terrestrial ecosystems. In the tropics, the arbuscular mycorrhizae play the most important functions in both natural and agricultural ecosystems when compared with the other types of mycorrhizae. Their main role is to increase plant nutrition, notably P, but there are also several other direct and indirect benefits to the host plants and the environment. In natural environments, these symbionts are involved in the structuration of plant communities along the succession. In agroecosystems, they also play important roles in plant nutrition, alleviation of biotic and abiotic stresses, sequestration of C, and several other direct and indirect benefits. Despite their effects, the importance of mycorrhizae in the production systems has been neglected relative to their huge biotechnological potential. We highlight the role of arbuscular mycorrhizae in the tropical environment and their potential as a biotechnological tool to increase the sustainability of agricultural systems. Besides the universal arbuscular mycorrhizae, ectomycorrhizae are also included in this chapter given their importance for temperate tree species grown in the tropics, and orchidoid mycorrhizae, which are important because of the great biodiversity of these plants in tropical environments, many of which are endangered of extinction.