Mycorrhizal Association and Plant Disease Protection: New Perspectives

Soil fungi of the phylum Glomeromycota and plants form arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) symbiosis. The AM fungi, during the symbiosis, establish a sink for plant photosynthate by utilizing it for biomass and metabolic energy, while the AM plants obtain nutrients and water through the AMF hyphae. The benefits of AM symbiosis on plant fitness include better mineral nutrition, especially those that are immobile in soil solution (e.g., phosphorus, copper, and zinc), and higher tolerance of mycorrhizal plants to abiotic stresses, such as drought, salinity, high soil temperature, presence of heavy metals, and others abiotic factors. Recent studies have revealed that AMF can suppress pests and plant diseases by the activation of defense regulatory genes. The knowledge of the mechanisms behind the induction of resistance by mycorrhizal symbiosis (mycorrhizal-induced resistance [MIR]) remains unknown. This chapter describes the current advanced status of the role of MIR in plant disease protection.