What does VAM mean in PHYSIOLOGY

Vesicular Arbuscular Mycorrhizae (VAM) is a type of symbiotic relationship between fungi and plant roots, where the fungi colonize the root systems of certain plants. The fungi provide essential nutrients such as phosphorus and nitrogen to the host plants while benefiting from sugars produced by the plants to grow.

VAM has numerous benefits for plants, including improved nutrient uptake, increased water retention and drought tolerance, improved resistance to soil-borne pathogens and improved yield and quality of fruit. In addition, VAM can also decrease plant stress caused by extreme temperatures or high salinity levels in soil.

Plants benefit from VAM by having access to essential nutrients that can be difficult to obtain through traditional soil fertilization methods. The fungi also form a protective network around the roots of the host plant, helping it become more resilient against disease and pests.

Yes, only certain plant species have been shown to form beneficial mycorrhizal relationships with fungi. These include fruits, vegetables, shrubs, conifers and roses. Other types of plants may not benefit from these associations at all.

This symbiotic association begins when spores from the fungus land on or near a root system; they then settle into the tissue and establish connections in order to access nutrients from the host plant’s photosynthetic process.

While VAM can be beneficial for many plant species in terms of improved growth rate and health, some studies have reported that too many fungal spores can lead to a decrease in performance due to competition for resources between neighboring plants. As such, proper management is important when introducing these organisms into an environment where plant growth could be affected negatively by excessive colonization.

No specialized equipment nor expertise are needed for adding mycorrhizae into growing media; however it should be noted that correct measurements should be followed in order for it to have a successful colonization rate which will ultimately result in healthy growth among target crops/plants being monitored inside said environment.

For gardeners looking to add mycorrhizal inoculums into their gardens should primarily look towards using ectomycorrhiza inoculums as these types are best suited for outdoor environments due to their ability thrive under fluctuating seasonal conditions that come with such settings.

It is not recommended to fertilize with nitrogen when using mycorrhizae as this could cause an imbalance within the microcosm making up your insect-plant system which could ultimately lead lower success rates when applying said organism.