Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi: Abundance, Interaction with Plants and Potential Biological Applications

Beneficial microbes associated with plant roots play an important role to achieve higher agriculture production for burgeoning population in sustainable way. Among various microbes, arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi interaction with higher land plants is unique as they occupy position both inside and outside of roots. AM fungi as a natural symbionts of land plants provide various ecological services, in particular by improving plant water and nutrition availability, soil health and fertility, alleviating stress condition and wasteland management. Mycorrhizae as a broader group of fungi include seven types of members, i.e. arbuscular, ecto, ectendo, arbutoid, monotropoid, ericoid and orchidaceous, while arbuscular and ectomycorrhizae are the most abundant and ubiquitous. In this chapter, we focus on AM fungi and provide an overview on mycorrhizal interaction, benefits, processes, production development and potential application domain under various conditions. Along with recent advances in AM fungi role under various stress condition, reclamation of problematic wastelands and production aspects, we also discuss about the basic features of AM fungi with past developments to provide an overall glimpse of this plant-fungal interaction. In spite of its growing trends, AM fungi’s current application and market sharing are far below to full potential. Regarding this, current challenges, constraints and strategies for future road map to overcome these problems are also discussed briefly.