Benomyl Effects on Plant Productivity through Arbuscular Mycorrhiza Restriction in a Greek Upland Grassland

Benomyl Effects on Plant Productivity through Arbuscular Mycorrhiza Restriction in a Greek Upland Grassland

Interactions between plants and microbes are important for plant community structure. Many plants establish symbioses with arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi, which play a central role in soil fertility, plant nutrition and the maintenance of stability and biodiversity within plant communities by improving uptake of nutrients and water. AM fungi can improve growth/performance in a variety of plant species by influencing intra- and interspecific competition of neighbouring plants and thus regulate coexistence and diversity in mixed communities. The aim was to study AMF effects on plant productivity and diversity in Greek upland grasslands.