A comparative analysis of fungi involved in plant nutrition

Kariman, K. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2070-4713, Rengel, Z., Pena, R. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7985-6906, Rahimlou, S. and Tibbett, M. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0143-2190 (2025) A comparative analysis of fungi involved in plant nutrition. Plant and Soil. ISSN 0032-079X doi: 10.1007/s11104-025-08120-z (In Press)

Abstract/Summary

ackground This review examines how nutritionally beneficial fungi enhance plant nutrient acquisition and proposes a new classification system based on their key functional and trophic traits. We highlight the evolutionary significance of biotrophy, especially in arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) and ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungi, which fundamentally shapes their functional efficiency and ecological persistence. Scope The proposed classification system categorizes fungi by traits including (i) root colonization, (ii) direct nutrient transfer to plant via hyphae, (iii) nutrient solubilization and mineralization activities, and (iv) biotrophic traits. Conclusions Three main classes are defined: mycorrhizal fungi (MF), non-mycorrhizal nutritional fungi (NMNF), and feremycorrhizal fungi (FMF). Mycorrhizal fungi colonize roots and directly transfer nutrients to plants through either specialized interface structures (arbuscules, Hartig nets, fungal pegs) or non-specialized hyphae and hyphal coils, while also driving nutrient solubilization and mineralization. They display diverse trophic modes, including obligate biotrophic, facultative biotrophic, or dual saprotrophic-biotrophic. Non-mycorrhizal nutritional fungi include some root endophytes and saprotrophs that may not colonize roots, do not directly transfer nutrients to plants but enhance plant nutrition through their nutrient solubilization and mineralization activities, and lack biotrophic traits. Feremycorrhizal fungi neither colonize roots nor directly transfer nutrients to plants; instead, they indirectly improve plant nutrition through nutrient solubilization and mineralization activities, while retaining biotrophic traits derived from their ECM ancestry. Across all three classes, nutritional benefits for plants may be amplified or complemented by synergistic interactions with co-occurring beneficial soil microorganisms or mediated by bacterial endosymbionts. This new classification system provides a practical framework for categorizing nutritionally beneficial fungi based on their key traits, offering insights into their nutritional contributions to terrestrial ecosystems.

Item Type	Article
URI	https://centaur.reading.ac.uk/id/eprint/127385
Identification Number/DOI	10.1007/s11104-025-08120-z
Refereed	Yes
Divisions	Interdisciplinary centres and themes > Soil Research Centre Life Sciences > School of Agriculture, Policy and Development > Department of Sustainable Land Management > Centre for Agri-environmental Research (CAER)
Publisher	Springer
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