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Mycorrhiza fungi redirect plant carbohydrates (including the sugars glucose and sucrose) to the roots, where the fungus eats it, generating more of itself. The host plant's roots make use of the fungus, taking advantage of the fungus's surface area to absorb what it needs from the ground.
Through this symbiosis the host plant's mineral absorption is increased, chemically and physically. Also, pathogen resistance is better in colonized plants than in non-colonized plants, and drought resistance is better. Without a mycorrizal fungus colony, plants grown in artificial environments (such as a growth media) or in nutrient-deficient soil fair poorly. -
Mycorrhiza fungi are classified under two major branches, endomycorrhizas and ectomycorrhizas. In general, what separates these two types is their methods of operation. Endomycorrhizal fungi enter the separate cells in a root, while ectomycorrhiza fungi stay out of them.
Endomycorrhiza is the dominant type of mycorrhiza, colonizing approximately 85% of all known mycorrizhal plants. Ectomycorrhiza colonizes only approximately 10% of all known mycorrhizal plants. - A.B.Frank studied and made tentative explanations concerning the relationship of the mycorrhiza and root systems of wood plants in a variety of areas. Based on this he created the name mycorrhiza in 1885. It combines two Greek words "myco" and "rhiza" meaning "slimy" and "root" respectively.
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Plants by themselves aren't always able to get what they need, as in the case of phosphate ions in basic pH soil. Mycorrhizae though, can access the ions and make them available to the plant.
Mycorrhizal fungi aren't always passive in its relationship. The symbiosis of mycorrhiza is not unknown to be mildly pathogenic. Also, Laccaria bicolor, an ectomycorrhiza, is known to draw springtails to their deaths obtaining nitrogen. - The work done by A.B. Frank provided research information that mycorrhiza and the plant associated with it help each other. A great deal of his work was challenged at first, but has since been accepted. More than 90% of plants studied to find mycorrhiza were found to have it.
