How Do Mycorrhizal Fungi Increase Nutrient Uptake?
These fungi increase the surface absorbing area of root 10 to 100x thereby greatly improving the ability of the plants to utilize the soil. Several miles of fungal filaments can be present in less than a thimbleful of soil. Mycorrhizal fungi increase nutrient uptake by increasing the surface absorbing area of roots, and by releasing powerful chemicals into the soil that dissolve hard to capture nutrients such as phosphorous, iron and other “tightly bound” soil nutrients. This extraction process is particularly important in plant nutrition and explains why non-mycorrhizal plants require high levels of fertilizers to maintain their health. Mycorrhizal fungi form an intricate web that captures and assimilates nutrients. In non-mycorrhizal conditions much of this fertility is wasted or lost from the system. What Other Activities Do Mycorrhizal Fungi Do? Mycorrhizal fungi are involved with a wide variety of other activities that benefit plant establishment and growth. The same extensive net
