Vesicular arbuscular mycorrhiza as potential Biocontrol agent for nutrition and management of Soil-borne diseases: A review

Abstract

Mycorrhizae is symbiotic organism that have potential as biological control agent of soil borne disease. Vesicular arbuscular mycorrhizae (VAM) represent a group of fungi that are associate with most agricultural pants influence the nutrition i.e., macro and micro and provide protection against soil borne disease. Difficulty of the application of VAM as biological control agents can be related to variations within each pathogen host-plant VAM system. Soil borne diseases are one of the important limiting factors for the commercial cultivation of various crops. The management of these diseases with chemical pesticides has exhibited numerous ill effects to 88biotic system and environment and it provide effective and durable protection to root system. The role of mycorrhiza against pathogenic population is well established and benefits of these associations have been found to reduce the vulnerability of root system by decreasing abiotic stresses besides improving the ecological fitness of plant species in the soil environment. Balanced plant nutrition with macro and micro nutrients attributes to host endurance against different biotic and abiotic stresses. Plant species are benefited from mycorrhizal association because of superior effectiveness in nutrient and water uptake. Abiotic stresses influence the host to pathogenic infections. Some of the diseases are more in nutrient-poor or moisture-deficient soils. Several studies have proved that seedlings with symbiotic associations exhibit more resistance to the host system against pathogenic fungi/bacteria/nematodes with various mechanisms. Symbiotic fungi utilize surplus carbohydrates from the root exudates and transform the monosaccharide to less soluble sugars which discourages the germination of propagules and attractiveness of the roots to the pathogens which are helps in establishment of seedling. Symbiotic associations have been found to enhance the concentration of these inhibitors many times greater than non-symbiotic roots and protecting the plant species against infection. This review provides an overview of the potential of AM fungi as bio-protection agents against soil borne disease and emphasizes the complex nature of plant–fungus interactions. Several mechanisms, including modulated plant tolerance, manipulation of induced systemic resistance (ISR), and altered vector pressure are involved in such interactions, considering multiple benefits, Enhanced plant nutrition uptake, Damage compensation, Competition for colonization or infection sites, better establishment of plant, Anatomical and morphological changes in the root system etc. Mycorrhiza incorporation can be considered as one of the important components of integrated disease management strategies and influence the nutrition which are provide better establishment of crops.