Oecologie van paddestoelen en schimmels 3. Arbusculaire mycorrhiza schimmels

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) occur in symbiosis with a wide range of host plants and play an important role in natura! and agricultural ecosystems . AMF belang to six genera in three families in the order Glomales. Spore characteristics and differences in sequence of nucleic acids are used for the identification of the species. Roots of plants with AMF are more branched than roots without AMF and this ramification implies a better uptake of nutrients. In agriculture plants with AMF give better crops than plants without; AMF proteet the host plants against infection by nematodes and soil pathogens . Intensive agricultural practices have a negative effect on the number of infections by AM