Summary
This influential review by Marschner and Dell synthesises the mechanistic basis by which mycorrhizal symbioses — particularly arbuscular and ectomycorrhizal associations — improve the acquisition of phosphorus and other poorly mobile nutrients from soil. The paper is likely to address the role of fungal hyphae in extending the effective root absorptive surface, the biochemistry of nutrient transport at the symbiotic interface, and the conditions under which mycorrhizal benefits are most pronounced. As a contribution from two leading plant nutritionists, it provides a foundational framework for understanding how soil biology mediates nutrient availability and plant uptake efficiency.
UK applicability
The mechanistic principles reviewed are broadly applicable to UK agricultural and horticultural systems, where mycorrhizal inoculation and soil management practices that support fungal communities are of increasing relevance to sustainable nutrient management and reduced reliance on synthetic phosphorus fertilisers.
Key measures
Nutrient uptake rates; phosphorus acquisition efficiency; nitrogen transfer; root colonisation; hyphal extension and surface area; mineral nutrient concentrations in plant tissue
Outcomes reported
The paper reviews and synthesises evidence on how mycorrhizal associations — principally ectomycorrhizal and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi — enhance the uptake of phosphorus, nitrogen, and other mineral nutrients by host plants. It likely examines the physiological and biochemical mechanisms underpinning nutrient transfer across the fungal–plant interface.
Topic tags
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