African Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 2 (12), pp. 539-546, December 2003

ISSN 1684-5315  © 2003 Academic Journals

Review

The vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis

Orlando António Quilambo

Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, Eduardo Mondlane University, P.O. Box 257, Maput, Mozambique. Tel: 258-1-429254. Fax: 258-1-429254. E-mail: oquilambo@rei.uem.mz or quilambo@rei.uem.mz.

Accepted 25 November 2003  

Vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhiza fungi are  associated with the majority ot the terrestrial plants. Their function ranges from stress alleviation to bioremediation in soils polluted with heavy metals. However, our knowlwdge about this symbiosis is still limited. For the semi-arid tropics, where some african countries are located, there is a great possibility of using mycorrhizas as a biological tool for sustainable agriculture. This review gives an overview on the mycorrhizal benefits and recomends some management practices for the semi-arid Africa conditions.

Key words: Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, endomycorrhizas, soil fungi, symbiosis, 

vesicular arbuscular mycorrhiza.