Crucial role of fungi in environmentally sustainable agriculture

Abstract

To produce more, better and safer food we must be able to do so while promoting the sustainable use of agricultural resources. The increase in agricultural production is currently through the use of pesticides, fertilizers, and developments in plant breeding and genetic skills. In naturally existing ecosystems, rhizospheric soils have biological living beings to favor the plant development, nutrient assimilation, stress tolerance, disease deterrence, carbon seizing and others. Fungi are among the most widely distributed organisms on Earth and are of great environmental importance. Mycorrhizal fungi, bacteria, actinomycetes, etc. solubilize nutrients and assist the plants in uptake by roots. Amongst them, vesicular/arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) have key roles in the natural ecosystem, as the majority of the terrestrial plants form association with AMF. This symbiosis confers benefits directly to the host plant’s growth and development through the acquisition of phosphorus (P) and other mineral nutrients from the soil. They may also enhance the protection of plants against pathogens, increase plant diversity and have the potential to enhance plant growth under stressful environments. In this article, the sustainability and environmental aspects of agriculture, and the basic concepts of fungi will be reviewed to justify our point of view about the tremendous importance of fungi towards an environmentally sustainable agriculture.