Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and their response to pesticides

Abstract

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) form symbioses with the majority of plant species and can provide multiple benefits to the host plant. In agro‐ecosystems, the abundance and community structure of AMF are affected by agricultural management practices. This review describes and discusses current knowledge on the effects of inorganic and organic chemical pesticides on AMF in the conflicting area between agricultural use and environmental concerns. Variable effects have been reported following chemical pesticide use, ranging from neutral to positive and negative. Moreover, a species‐specific reaction has been documented. The reported effects of pesticides on arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis are very diverse, and even when the same substance is investigated, the results are often contradictory. These effects depend on many parameters, such as the active substance, the mode of action, the mode of application and the dosage. In the field, determinants such as the physico‐chemical behavior of the active substances, the soil type and other soil microorganisms contribute to the fate of pesticides and thus the amount of active substances to which AMF are exposed. This review highlights that the fate of AMF following pesticide use needs to be addressed in a broader agro‐ecosystem context. © 2018 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

Fungicides With Contrasting Mode of Action Differentially Affect Hyphal Healing Mechanism in Gigaspora sp. and Rhizophagus irregularis

“…Mechanisms such as anastomosis and healing are pivotal for the spread and maintenance/survival of AM fungal colonies ( de la Providencia et al, 2005 ). Both mechanisms drastically differ between genera ( de la Providencia et al, 2005 ; Voets et al, 2006 ) and could be affected by agricultural practices such as plowing ( Brito et al, 2012 ) or application of pesticides ( de Novais et al, 2019b ; Hage-Ahmed et al, 2019 ).…”

Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi and Associated Microbiota as Plant Biostimulants: Research Strategies for the Selection of the Best Performing Inocula

“…Several fungicides, like copper hydroxide and mancozeb, were able to inhibit spore germination of F. mosseae in vivo, while flutolanil, azoxystrobin, fenpropimorph, and fenhexamid inhibited germination of R. irregulare spores in vitro [26,27]. On the other hand, other fungicides, such as fosetil Al, metalaxyl and different herbicides, seem to exert no activity on spore germination even if the results obtained on the same substance in different investigations were often contradictory [28].…”

Mycorrhizal Interventions for Sustainable Potato Production in Africa

“…Glyphosate-based herbicides were also shown to have a deleterious effect on AM fungi infection rates in maize grown in pasteurized soil (Savin et al, 2009). Therefore, the mode and the rate of application of chemicals, the active ingredient(s), the chemistry and the microbiome all have significant impacts on the maintenance of AM fungal populations (Hage-Ahmed et al, 2019).…”