What Are Mycos? Down To Earth Fertilizers
Summary
TLDRMycorrhizal fungi, also known as mykos, form a symbiotic relationship with plants, benefiting gardeners by improving nutrient and water absorption. These fungi, belonging to the same group as mushrooms, grow root-like structures called hyphae that extend beyond the plant’s roots, accessing nutrients in small spaces. This partnership, which dates back 450 million years, allows plants to thrive by exchanging sugars for essential resources. However, some plants, like those in the Brassica family, do not benefit from this relationship. Modern soils, especially near new developments, often lack these fungi due to human activity.
Takeaways
- 🍄 The term 'mycorrhizal fungi' comes from 'myko' (Latin for fungus) and 'rhiza' (Greek for root).
- 🌱 Mycorrhizal fungi form beneficial relationships with plants, helping them access nutrients and water.
- 🍎 A mushroom is the fruiting body of a larger fungus organism, similar to an apple growing from a tree.
- 🔬 Hyphae, the root-like tubes of fungi, are tiny, often invisible to the human eye, and can be as thin as a tenth to a fiftieth of a human hair.
- 🤝 Mycorrhizal fungi and plants have had a symbiotic relationship for over 450 million years, exchanging sugars and nutrients.
- 🌍 Around 80-95% of land plants benefit from mycorrhizal relationships, improving their nutrient intake and growth.
- 🚰 Mycorrhizal fungi help plant roots reach nutrients and water that they otherwise couldn't access, improving plant health.
- 🛑 Some plants, such as those in the Brassica family (broccoli, cabbage, etc.), do not benefit from mycorrhizal fungi.
- 🚜 Human activities like the use of pesticides, fungicides, and heavy machinery have reduced mycorrhizal fungi populations in many soils.
- 🌱 Commercial mycorrhizal fungi products are now available to help reintroduce these organisms into depleted garden soils.
Q & A
What is the origin of the term 'mycorrhizal'?
-The term 'mycorrhizal' comes from the combination of two words: 'myko,' derived from the Latin word for fungus, and 'rhiza,' from the Greek word for root.
What role do mycorrhizal fungi play in gardening?
-Mycorrhizal fungi form a symbiotic relationship with plants, helping them absorb nutrients and water from the soil in exchange for sugars produced by the plant through photosynthesis.
How do mycorrhizal fungi compare to mushrooms?
-Both mycorrhizal fungi and mushrooms belong to the fungus kingdom. A mushroom is the fruiting body of a larger organism, while mycorrhizal fungi consist of a network of root-like tubes called hyphae.
What are hyphae, and how small are they?
-Hyphae are root-like structures of fungi that form an interconnected network. They are very small, between one-tenth to one-fiftieth the width of a human hair, making many of them invisible to the naked eye.
When did plants and fungi first form a symbiotic relationship?
-Plants and fungi first formed a symbiotic, or mutually beneficial, relationship more than 450 million years ago.
What is the benefit of mycorrhizal fungi to plants?
-Mycorrhizal fungi help plants access nutrients and water from the soil, particularly in areas that the plant's roots cannot reach. In return, the plant provides the fungi with sugars produced during photosynthesis.
What happens if a seed is planted in soil without mycorrhizal fungi?
-If planted without mycorrhizal fungi, the plant's roots must expend more energy searching for nutrients and water, which limits their access to these resources and reduces growth efficiency.
How do mycorrhizal fungi connect with a plant's roots?
-When a plant sends out signals, nearby mycorrhizal fungi respond by growing hyphae toward the plant's roots. Once they reach the roots, they penetrate them and begin exchanging nutrients with the plant.
Which plants do not benefit from mycorrhizal fungi?
-Certain plants, such as those in the Brassica family (e.g., broccoli, cabbage, radishes, and kale), as well as beets, chard, blueberries, cranberries, and rhododendrons, do not benefit from mycorrhizal fungi.
Why do some soils lack mycorrhizal fungi, and what can gardeners do to restore them?
-Soils can lack mycorrhizal fungi due to factors like the use of fungicides, pesticides, heavy machinery, or leaving soil bare for extended periods. Gardeners can restore mycorrhizal populations by applying commercial mixes that reintroduce these organisms.
Outlines
🍄 What Are Mycorrhizal Fungi?
This paragraph introduces the concept of mycorrhizal fungi, often referred to as 'mykos,' explaining that the term comes from Latin and Greek words for 'fungus' and 'root.' These fungi, which belong to the same kingdom as mushrooms, form symbiotic relationships with plants. The fungi help plants by providing nutrients and water in exchange for sugars produced through photosynthesis. Most plants benefit from this relationship, dating back over 450 million years.
🌱 The Role of Mycorrhizal Fungi in Plant Growth
The paragraph explains how mycorrhizal fungi support plant growth by forming a network of hyphae that extend far beyond plant roots. Without fungi, plants expend energy growing roots to find nutrients and water. However, when mycorrhizal fungi are present, they grow hyphae towards plant roots, creating structures that allow the exchange of nutrients and water. This network greatly enhances a plant’s access to essential resources, even those outside the reach of its roots.
🚫 Plants That Don’t Benefit from Mycorrhizal Fungi
Although most plants benefit from mycorrhizal fungi, this paragraph highlights exceptions. Plants in the Brassica family (such as broccoli, cabbage, and kale), as well as beets, chard, blueberries, cranberries, and rhododendrons, are mentioned as those that typically do not benefit from these fungi.
🛠️ Human Impact on Mycorrhizal Populations
This paragraph discusses how human activities like the application of fungicides, pesticides, heavy machinery use, and leaving soil barren for extended periods have reduced or eliminated mycorrhizal fungi in some soils. New residential and commercial areas are particularly affected by this depletion. Only recently have commercial products been developed to reintroduce these essential fungi into garden soils.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Mycorrhizal fungi
💡Hyphy
💡Symbiotic relationship
💡Nutrients
💡Spores
💡Fungicides and pesticides
💡Photosynthesis
💡Brassica family
💡Soil degradation
💡Commercial mycorrhizal mixes
Highlights
The term mycorrhizal fungi, sometimes called mykos, comes from the Latin word for fungus (Maiko) and the Greek word for root (Raisa).
Mycorrhizal fungi belong to the same group as mushrooms and are part of the fungus kingdom.
Mushrooms are the fruiting body of a larger organism that forms an interconnected network of root-like tubes called hyphae.
Most hyphae are extremely small, between a tenth to a fiftieth of the width of a human hair, making many invisible to the human eye.
Over 450 million years ago, certain types of plants and fungi formed a symbiotic, mutually beneficial relationship.
In this symbiotic relationship, plants provide fungi with sugars produced through photosynthesis, while fungi provide plants with nutrients and water.
80 to 95 percent of land plants benefit from some type of mycorrhizal relationship.
Without mycorrhizal fungi, plant roots must extend further and expend more energy to find nutrients and water.
When mycorrhizal spores are present, they grow hyphae that respond to plant signals and form structures to exchange resources with the plant.
Mycorrhizal fungi create an extensive network that allows plants to access nutrients and water beyond the reach of their roots.
Hyphae are so small they can access nutrients in the tiny spaces between plant roots, enhancing nutrient availability.
Most commonly grown plants benefit from mycorrhizal applications, but exceptions include the Brassica family (broccoli, cabbage, radishes, kale), beets, chard, blueberries, cranberries, and rhododendron.
Fungicides, pesticides, heavy machinery, and leaving soils bare for long periods can reduce mycorrhizal fungi populations.
Newly built residential and commercial areas often have soils lacking in mycorrhizal fungi.
Commercial mycorrhizal mixes have only recently become available to reintroduce these important organisms into garden soils.
Transcripts
you may have heard the term mycorrhizal
fungi sometimes called mykos in recent
years but what exactly are they the
origins of the word offered the simplest
explanation Maiko comes from the Latin
word for fungus and Raisa is Greek for
root these fungus roots can be greatly
beneficial to gardeners
mycorrhizae fungi belonged to the same
group as mushrooms
the fungus kingdom a mushroom is similar
to an apple it is the fruiting body of a
larger organism
but rather than growing from a tree the
mushroom is formed from an
interconnected network of root like
tubes called hyphy most hyphy are very
small between a tenth to a fiftieth of
the width of a human hair making many of
them invisible to the human eye
more than 450 million years ago certain
types of plants and fungi formed a
symbiotic or mutually beneficial
relationship with each other the plants
give the fungi sugars that they produce
through photosynthesis in exchange the
fungi give the plants nutrients and
water that they extract from the soil 80
to 95 percent of land plants benefit
from some type of micro Raizel
relationship
what does this mean for gardeners let's
say you plant a seed in soil without any
mycorrhizal fungi the plant's roots will
go out in search of nutrients and water
to feed its growth as the available
resources are used up in one area the
roots grow further and further out
expending more and more of the plants
energy now let's introduce some
mycorrhizal spores the plant sends
signals out to any mycorrhizal fungi in
the area and the spores respond by
growing hyphy in the direction of the
signal
if a spore is able to find the roots of
the plant the hyphy will penetrate the
roots and begin to grow structures that
allow for the plant and the fungi to
exchange resources
the mycorrhizal fungi will now begin to
grow an extensive cotton ball like mass
that will give the plant access not only
to the nutrients and water outside the
reach of its roots but since the hyphy
are so small they can access nutrients
in the small spaces between the roots as
well though most commonly grown plants
will benefit from mycorrhizal
applications there are a few exceptions
the Brassica family which includes
plants such as broccoli cabbage radishes
and kale is one beets chard blueberries
cranberries and rhododendron are some
others
though mycorrhizal fungi are naturally
occurring in most soils the application
of fungicides and pesticides the use of
heavy machinery and leaving soils
without any plant growth for weeks at a
time have created soils with little or
no mycorrhizal fungi populations the
ground surrounding newly built
residential neighborhoods and commercial
properties is particularly lacking only
in recent years have commercial mixes
become available to reintroduce these
important organisms back into garden
soils
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