Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi - taxonomy, diversity, conservation and multiplication

Arbuscular mycorrhizas are the most prevalent and common root fungus symbiotic/mutualistic associations. They are placed in a separate fungal phylum Glomeromycota comprising a single class Glomeromycetes having four orders and 13 families. Based on morphological and molecular characteristics 19 genera viz. Acaulospora, Ambispora, Archaeospora, Cetraspora, Dentiscutata, Diversispora, Entrophospora, Fuscutata, Geosiphon, Gigaspora, Glomus, Intraspora, Kuklospora, Otospora, Pacispora, Paraglomus, Racocetra, Scutellospora and Quatunica comprising more than 200 species are recognized in arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi. Clean and contamination free spores/propagules of AM fungi can be observed and harvested with root organ culture. The hyphae, arbuscules, vesicles, spores, sporocarps and hyphal bits can be conserved and used for mass multiplication by various methods viz, trap plants, aeroponic- and hydroponic cultures, nutrient film technique, monoxenic and root-organ culture, and continuous culture.