Friends to the rescue: using arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi to future-proof Australian agriculture

Article

Heuck, Meike Katharina, Birnbaum, Christina and Frew, Adam. 2023. "Friends to the rescue: using arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi to future-proof Australian agriculture." Microbiology Australia. 44 (1), pp. 5-8. https://doi.org/10.1071/MA23002
Article Title

Friends to the rescue: using arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi to future-proof Australian agriculture

ERA Journal ID40629
Article CategoryArticle
AuthorsHeuck, Meike Katharina, Birnbaum, Christina and Frew, Adam
Journal TitleMicrobiology Australia
Journal Citation44 (1), pp. 5-8
Number of Pages4
Year2023
PublisherCSIRO Publishing
Place of PublicationAustralia
ISSN1324-4272
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1071/MA23002
Web Address (URL)https://www.publish.csiro.au/ma/MA23002
AbstractWith a rising global population and the challenges of climate change, there is an increasing need to find solutions to maintain crop yields in an ecologically sustainable way. Although many studies have focussed on this issue, comparatively few are conducted in the southern hemisphere. This is worrisome because the geographical and geomorphological conditions within Australia differ greatly from the northern hemisphere. To ensure food security, approaches can rely on conventional agricultural methods as well as commercial arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungal inoculants. Both approaches lack the capacity to be successful in the long term or could have unknown negative effects on the naturally occurring microbial communities. We advocate for a sustainable and holistic approach that combines the effective management of functionally diverse AM fungal communities with precision farming techniques while integrating landscape elements into agricultural fields. In addition, landowners and scientists should collaborate and communicate their work with industry and government to take forward the shift to a more-sustainable agriculture. In this way, we will be better able to secure our food production while restoring our soil ecosystems.
Keywordsarbuscular mycorrhizal fungi; Australia; conventional agriculture; food security; multifunctionality
ANZSRC Field of Research 2020310703. Microbial ecology
Byline AffiliationsWestern Sydney University
School of Agriculture and Environmental Science
Centre for Crop Health
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