What are the characteristic features of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi from different genera?
There are only 5 groups (called genera) of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi: • Glomus • Acaulospora • Entrophosphora • Gigaspora • Scutelospora The fungi are grouped according to the size, shape and wall structure of their spores. The spores are approximately spherical or ovoid in shape and usually have thick walls so they can survive harsh environmental conditions. When soil conditions are favourable, the spores germinate and hyphae grow out of the spore. These hyphae can then enter roots and set up the mycorrhizal association. Spores are between 30 and 500 micrometres in size – this is between 30 thousandths of a millimetre and half a millimetre. Identifying and classifying the spores is therefore something that must be done with the aid of microscopes. Also, fungi grow differently in roots depending on the type of fungus and the growth habit of the root itself.
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