Biological Potential of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi

Microorganisms play a key role in preserving soil fertility in forest and agro-ecosystems.The exploitation of their beneficial traits represents a promising avenue for the development of more sustainable agriculture. In this chapter, attention is focused on arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi, considering the aspects that have been highlighted through the sequencing of the Rhizophagus irregularis genome and on the mechanisms involved in the nutritional exchanges that take place during their interaction with plants. Examples of the use of this group of fungi in applicative projects are also reported.