Biotechnology and Plant Health Care: A Natural Systems Approach Mycorrhizal Fungi is Nature’s Plant Protection.

More than 400 million years ago, plants evolved a symbiotic relationship with mycorrhizal fungi, a relationship that remains critical to plant health today. Mycorrhizal fungi (fungus roots) are unique, root-inhabiting fungi that colonize plants outside (ectomycorrhizae) or inside (endo mycorrhizae) fine absorbing roots to obtain essential organic chemicals.

In return, the fungi extend vegetative strands (mycelia) far into the soil to extract water and essential elements and share them with their host. Mycorrhizae are able to absorb, accumulate and transfer all of the 15 major and minor mineral elements and water to plants more rapidly than roots with no mycorrhizae.

Decades of research show that mycorrhizae increase the tolerance of their plant host to drought, compaction, high soil temperatures, heavy metals, soil salinity, organic and inorganic soil toxins and extremes of soil pH. These beneficial fungi also extend life, viability, and productivity of their host root system.