Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi: Green approach/technology for sustainable agriculture and environment

Abstract

To feed the growing population, global food production needs to be doubled by 2050. The fertilizers cost have increased several folds in the last few years, which necessitates agrarian community to be less reliable on chemicals to grow and protect their crops. Moreover, dependency on chemical fertilizers and pesticides has led to the deterioration of human health, disruption of ecosystem functioning and degradation of our environment. To overcome these problems, there is a need to explore and exploit the beneficial plant-soil microbe interactions to meet the food demand without affecting the relationship between the man and his environment. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are known to form symbiotic association with the roots of more than 90% of the terrestrial plants. They serve as biofertilizer and enhance the plant growth by accelerating nutrient uptake, particularly of inaccessible nutrients like phosphorus and nitrogen from the soil. Beside mineral nutrition, AMF also maintain the root hydraulic conductivity, increase the plant net photosynthetic capacity, improve stomatal conductance. The multifunctional extraradical hyphae of the fungus provide numerous ecological advantages like maintaining the soil health by influencing the beneficial microbes, aggregating soil particle and preventing soil erosion, conferring resistance to various stresses, enhance ecosystem productivity, bioremediation of degraded land, serving as soil carbon sink. In this chapter we attempt to discuss different role played by AMF, which make them potential tool for sustainable agriculture and environment. It is tempting to state that AMF served for 3E's i.e. eco-friendly, economic and enhanced yield.