Role of Mycorrhizal Fungi in Soil Nutrient Uptake

Bacteria and Mycorrhizal Fungi

• Rhizobacteria are limited in their ability to absorb minerals from the soil, as they can only live near the roots and the zone of absorption is limited.
• Most minerals in the soil are outside the reach of the roots and rhizobacteria.

Mycorrhizal Fungi

• Mycorrhizal fungi live in a symbiotic relationship with plant roots, forming a living connection within the roots and creating an absorption and transport system.
• This symbiotic relationship is essential for healthy plant growth.
• Mycorrhizal fungi are typically absent in agricultural soils due to modernization.

How Mycorrhizal Fungi Help Plants

• Mycorrhizal fungal threads are thinner than bacteria, allowing them to grow in micropores where most nutrients and water are stored.
• The fungal threads absorb nutrients and water, providing disease resistance and allowing plants to access distant minerals bound to iron and calcium.
• A single teaspoon of soil can contain fungal hyphae that stretch up to a kilometer long.
• Mycorrhizal fungi can increase a plant's absorption capacity by an average of seven times, enabling growth with less water and reducing competition from weeds.