Susceptibility and plant immune control-a case of mycorrhizal strategy for plant colonization, symbiosis, and plant immune suppression

Matthew Chekwube Enebe; Mariana Erasmus

doi:10.3389/fmicb.2023.1178258

Susceptibility and plant immune control-a case of mycorrhizal strategy for plant colonization, symbiosis, and plant immune suppression

Front Microbiol. 2023 Jul 5:14:1178258. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1178258. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Matthew Chekwube Enebe¹, Mariana Erasmus¹

Affiliation

¹ Centre for Mineral Biogeochemistry, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa.

Abstract

Plants and microbes (mycorrhizal fungi to be precise) have evolved together over the past millions of years into an association that is mutualist. The plants supply the fungi with photosynthates and shelter, while the fungi reciprocate by enhancing nutrient and water uptake by the plants as well as, in some cases, control of soil-borne pathogens, but this fungi-plant association is not always beneficial. We argue that mycorrhizal fungi, despite contributing to plant nutrition, equally increase plant susceptibility to pathogens and herbivorous pests' infestation. Understanding of mycorrhizal fungi strategies for suppressing plant immunity, the phytohormones involved and the signaling pathways that aid them will enable the harnessing of tripartite (consisting of three biological systems)-plant-mycorrhizal fungi-microbe interactions for promoting sustainable production of crops.

Keywords: disease susceptibility; ecological function; immune control; mycorrhizal fungi (MF); plants.

Publication types

Review

Grants and funding

Funding was made available through the Biogeochemistry Research Infrastructure Platform (BIOGRIP), a platform within the CMBG which was funded by the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI).