Importance of Mycorrhizae

Mycorrhizae

The symbiotic association between fungal mycelium and roots of plants is called as mycorrhizae. In this relationship fungi absorbs nutrition from the root and in turn the hyphal network of mycorrhizae forming fungi helps the plant to absorb water and mineral nutrients from the soil (Figure 1.31) Mycorrhizae are classified into three types

Importance of Mycorrhizae

•            Helps to derive nutrition in Monotropa, a saprophytic angiosperm,

•            Improves the availability of minerals and water to the plants.

•            Provides drought resistance to the plants

•            Protects roots of higher plants from the attack of plant pathogens