Summary
This meta-analysis of 5691 observations across 154 plant species demonstrates that established arbuscular mycorrhizal symbioses attenuate the negative effects of drought on plant growth and stabilise biomass allocation patterns. Whilst non-inoculated plants significantly increased their root-to-shoot ratio under drought stress, mycorrhizal-colonised plants maintained more stable allocation strategies. The findings suggest AM fungi enhance plant drought resilience through improved nutrient and water acquisition, with implications for sustainable agricultural adaptation to climate variability.
Regional applicability
The findings are applicable to UK agricultural and horticultural systems facing increasing drought frequency under climate change. Integration of native AM fungal inocula or management practices that enhance natural mycorrhizal colonisation could support crop resilience without external inputs, aligning with UK sustainability and net-zero agricultural policy objectives.
Key measures
Plant biomass production, photosynthetic performance, nutrient uptake, water uptake, root-to-shoot ratio (R/S), response to drought stress in inoculated versus non-inoculated plants
Outcomes reported
The study quantified how arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi modulate plant growth and biomass allocation responses to drought across 154 plant species using meta-analysis of 5691 paired observations. Key outcomes included measurements of biomass production, photosynthetic performance, nutrient and water uptake, and root-to-shoot ratio under drought conditions.
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