Most plant species harbor symbioses with soil microbes in their roots. Mycorrhizal symbiosis
plays a major role in ecosystem nutrient cycling, while providing plants with essential
nutrients. The most common mycorrhizal symbioses are those with arbuscular mycorrhizal
fungi (AMF). The potential of AMF as biofertilizers for the enhancement of crop productivity is
well recognized and continues to be exploited (Azcon-Aguilar and Barea, 1997). The AMF
are members of the fungal phylum Glomeromycota (Schüssler et al., 2001) and form …