The successful establishment of arbuscular mycorrhizae (AM) symbiosis

Zoom in on arbuscular mycorrhizae formation 🦠🌱

🔎 The successful establishment of arbuscular mycorrhizae (AM) symbiosis consists of the following stages:

1️⃣ PRECONTACT STAGE (signaling dialog between host plants)

-> The roots of the host plant exude strigolactones (SLs) and flavonoids into the rhizosphere.
-> SLs induce spore germination and hyphal branching of AM fungi.
-> AM fungi release mycorrhizal factors to initiate the symbiosis response in root cells, including calcium spiking and symbiosis-related gene expression.

2️⃣ INFECTION STAGE
-> AM fungi form a hyphopodium on the root surface.
-> The formation of the hyphopodium is supported by host-derived cutin monomers.
-> Hyphae of AM fungi then invade root cells through a prepenetration apparatus that guides the fungal hypha toward the cortex.

3️⃣ FORMATION OF WELL-DEVELOPED ARBUSCULES
-> The fungal hyphae undergo dichotomous branching and form tree-like structures called arbuscules.
-> Well-developed arbuscules facilitate nutrient exchange in the inner cortical cells of host plant roots.

📷 Image: steps in AM symbiosis establishment (credits: Shi et al. 2023; DOI: 10.1146/annurev-arplant-061722-090342)
#soil #microbiome #agriculture #farming

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