subject: Mycorrhizae - Increase Mineral Absorb Capacity [print this page] Mycorrhizae - Increase Mineral Absorb Capacity
The term Mycorrhizae stands for the symbiotic association between a fungus and the roots of a plant. This term has derived from two Greek words, myco', mycology meaning the study of mushrooms and rhiza" meaning root. Thus the words Mycorrhizae' taken together means fungus roots.' Mycorrhiza is a kind of beneficial organism that is found on roots of the plants. In a mycorrhizal association the fungal hyphae comes in contact with plant roots. This association is commonly for mutual benefits. Through the process of photosynthesis a plant that contains chlorophyll makes simple carbohydrates using carbon dioxide, water and sunlight. In many of these associations the food which is produced by the plant goes to the fungi. Almost all the land plants are known to experience this association.
A mycorrhizal fungus adds multitude of usefulness to the growing program of a plant. These beneficial fungi are helpful for the environment too as they do not pollute the environment like the artificial fertilizers do and in turn help to balance the eco-system of earth. Mycorrhizae are advantageous for the plants as this association produce more stress resistant plants. The plants use less amount of pesticide and become drought and nutrient tolerant in the land. These mycorrhizal fungi help in increasing the absorbing capacity of the roots while improving the ability of the plant to access soil resources. Several powerful enzymes are also released into the soil that dissolve hard nutrients that include organic nitrogen, phosphorus, iron and other soil nutrients by the Mycorrhizal fungi. It is seen that the non-mycorrhizal plants require high levels of fertility so that their health is maintained properly.
There are various ways through which a mycorrihizal association can happen. It can happen either intra-cellularly or extra-cellularly. Physically, several forms of Mycorrhizae are known to exist with different forms of hyphal arrangement. These include endomycorrhiza and Ectomycorrhiza. The hyphae of ectomycorrhizal fungi create a mantle around the root and grow into the spaces between root cells. They do not penetrate the root cells and the hyphae form a covering which is net-like. It is called a Hartig net, around the cells. It has been found out that over six thousand species of fungi are involved in ectomycorrhizas. The endomycorrhizal fungi penetrate the cell wall and the cell membrane of the plant.
