Ecto- or arbuscular mycorrhizas - Which are best?

Abstract

The data reported by Chen et al, in this issue provide the first integrated, comparative view of the multiple mechanisms of interference by ectomycorrhizal fungi, together with innate changes in host plant physiology with age that are responsible for succession from arbuscular- to ectomycorrhizal dominant symbiosis in plants that form both types of mycorrhizas. Their results also underscore the complexities involved in tripartite mycorrhizal systems, including the variable responses to different host and fungal species combinations. Thus, while ectomycorrhizal fungi generally produced a high growth rate response in both species of Eucalyptus tested, results from one set of experiments cannot necessarily be used to predict the response of a different set of interacting plant and fungal symbionts.