subject: Mycorrhizae - Marvellous Option For Gardening [print this page] Mycorrhizae - Marvellous Option For Gardening
Mycorrhizae are product of close association between tubular filaments of a fungus and the roots of higher plants. In this association usually both the host plant and the fungus receive the required nutrition. The establishment and growth of certain plants mostly depends on Mycorrhizae. The host plant gives direct and stable access to the required glucose and carbon to fungus. In return these beneficial fungi enrich the plant with higher absorption capacity so that plants can develop in a healthy manner. Mycorrhiza is known to improve soil condition and root growth of plant as well as provide resistance power. Soil can be affected with severe conditions like drought, increased temperature and lack of humidity.
A mycorrhiza is a kind of fungus that belongs to the genus Amantia' Mycorrhizae are commonly divided into ectomycorrhizas and endomycorrhizas. The two groups are differentiated on the fact that the tubular filaments of ectomycorrhizal fungi do not penetrate the individual cells within the root, while the tubular filaments of endomycorrhizal fungi penetrate the cell wall and the cell membrane. A third group is also known to exist which is called as Ericoid Mycorrhizae.
There are several other variable of endomycorrhizae that have further classified into arbuscular, ericoid, arbutoid, monotropoid, and orchid Mycorrhizae. Arbuscular mycorrhizas, or AM are mycorrhizae whose filaments enter into the plant cells while producing structures that are either balloon-like or arbuscules in feature. The fungal filament mainly penetrates the cell membrane of plants. The structure of the arbuscules is important as it greatly increases the contact surface area between the hypha and the cell cytoplasm. This phenomenon facilitates the transfer of nutrients between them.
According to the fossil evidence this mutualism of Mycorrhizae existed when the first plants were colonizing land. Arbuscular Mycorrhizae are found in almost all plant families, and occur in many crop species also. However, both endomycorrhiza and ectomycorrhiza have the ability to be mycorrhizal fungi. In ectomycorrhiza, the filament surround but do not penetrate the roots of the plants. It has been seen that endomycorrhiza are much more common than ectomycorrhiza. Zygomycetes are known to be involved in endomycorrhizal relationships, the zygomycetes are seen to be associated with more than 200,000 species of plants.
