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Biology and Biotechnology of Environmental Stress Tolerance in Plants, Volume 3

and shoot tissue thereby improving plant growth (Al-Hmoud & Al-Momany,

2017). Mycorrhizal fungi colonize in the watermelon plant improved water

uptake, nutrient availability, and fruit quality (Keya et al., 2003). In another

study it was found that, three AMF fungi Acaulospora longula, Scutellospora

heterogama and Funneliformis mosseae exhibited positive effects on growth

of carrot plant (Kim et al., 2017). Symbiotic fungal colonization in the root

of barley and bread wheat improved Zn deficiency (Coccina et al., 2019).

In sorghum plant enhancement of biomass and nitrogen, phosphorus, and

potassium uptake is greatly influenced by the colonized mycorrhiza. It was

also suggested that in this plant nutrients uptake is not only depends on the

fungal partner but also depends on different nutrient uptake pathway selected

by the host plant (Nakmee et al., 2016). In laboratory condition micro-

propagated Prunus cerasifera inoculated with Rhizoglomus intraradices and

Funneliformis mosseae exhibited better growth and 100% survival than those

which are uninoculated with these fungal symbionts (Diagne et al., 2020). In

addition to AMF mediated plant growth, these symbiotic mycorrhizal fungi

can also interact with several other microorganisms residing soil atmosphere

and exhibit plant growth regulating functions. In general, AMF promotes

plant growth by not only enhancing nutrient uptake but also minimizes the

negative impacts of several biotic and abiotic stress conditions.

3.6.1 AMF-MEDIATED ABIOTIC STRESS TOLERANCE IN PLANTS

Having a number of positive effects on plants growth and development

AMF is also well known for their role in managing plant stress toler­

ance against different abiotic factors. Various reports have already shown

that, AMF has induced plant growth and tolerance under several adverse

environmental conditions like drought, salinity, flooding, temperature,

and heavy metal stresses (Allen et al., 2011; Nadeem et al., 2013; Diagne

et al., 2020). In the presence of stress stimuli AMF fungi living in the

plant root change their composition. These changes result in decreased

diversity of the fungi and form an AMF community having similar type

of species that are tolerant to that specific stress condition. Change in

AMF community helps plant to respond more vigorously against the

adverse condition (Bennett & Classen, 2020). With changing of climate

this response by the AMF become stronger proving better resistance in

plants. AMF adaptation under stress condition is not dependent on the host

plant. Thus, colonization of AMF improves plants stability under drought,