Highlights AM enhances nutrient uptake, specially phosphorus and other less mobile elements mainly by increasing absorptive surface of hyphal exploration in rhizosprhere. AM act as biocontrol and soil reclamation agent for polluted or contaminated soil. Agrochemicals and fertilizers hamper AM function and diversity in agricultural field. Crop rotation with nonmycorrhizal host, tillage hampers AM function and diversity. in agricultural field. Challenges in applying AMF in agriculture and how we can address these issues.

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Eco-parks are generally set up worldwide for serving both recreational and conservation purposes of local biodiversity through limited maintenance. Gopegarh Eco Park was set by the Forest Department, Government of West Bengal in highlands bank of Kangsabati  Kansai) river with a heritage ‘Garh’ area with remnants of Khan Raja’s establishment in Midnapore, West Bengal. This park was a place to study for its rich resources of indigenous vegetation, insects and birds for students and researchers. Increased development for amusements including picnic shades and human accessibility, intense weeding and mud ovens are set up. This study to measure quantitative characteristics of plant communities by quardrat method in low, moderate and severely disturbed zones revealed gradual decrease in indigenous flora with time; specially, herbaceous vegetation. The vegetation is gradually turning towards a monodominant tree community of Acacia auriculiformis, in low and moderate disturbed sites and Anacardium occidentale in severely disturbed sites; both planted earlier. Species frequency, diversity and density are decreasing with stress. The frequent cutting and weeding is affecting intensely on the ecosystem; decreasing soil moisture, organic carbon and changes in pH. This practice may affect propagule formation, dispersal and establishment of herbs, shrub and tree species. The park may gradually lose the indigenous flora and the flora dependant fauna and its utility as in situ sustainable maintenance of biodiversity and a resource place for practical study by students and researchers.

Application of fly ash with soil may act as a source of readily available micro and macro nutrients to the plants and improve physico-chemical and biological properties of the soil. In contrast lateritic soil is low fertile, deficient in available phosphorus and other nutrients to the plants. In the experiment Capsicum annuum (chilli) were grown as test crops planted in lateritic soiland fly ash separately, and in the combined mixture of them, with inoculation of the arbuscular mycorrhiza, Acaulospora delicata. Parameters were compared for AM spore count, root colonization, growth and productivity of chilli in term of height, leaf number, leaf area, root collar dimeter, number of flowers and fruits, fresh weight and dry weight. Among all soil samples the growth of chilli showed maximum in combined mixture of lateritic soil and fly ash inoculated with the AM. Also the combined treatment of AM inoculated lateritic soil and fly ash showed better mycorrhization than others. Hence application of AM inoculated low fertile soil with fly ash may present better productivity.