The disregarded mycorrhizal contribution to plant potassium nutrition

Kevin Garcia (1) , Sabine Zimmermann (1)

1 BPMP - Biochimie et Physiologie Moléculaire des Plantes

Potassium (K+) is one of the most abundant element of soil composition but its very low availability limits plant growth and productivity of ecosystems. Because this cation participates in many biological processes, its constitutive uptake from soil solution is crucial for the plant cell machinery. Thus, the understanding of strategies responsible of K+ nutrition is a major issue in plant science. Mycorrhizal associations occurring between roots and hyphae of underground fungi improve hydro-mineral nutrition of the majority of terrestrial plants. The contribution of this mutualistic symbiosis to the enhancement of plant K+ nutrition is still underestimated and poorly studied so far. This mini-review examines the current knowledge about the impact of both arbuscular mycorrhizal and ectomycorrhizal symbioses on the transfer of K+ from the soil to the plants. A model summarizing plant and fungal transport systems identified and hypothetically involved in K+ transport is proposed. In addition, some data related to benefits for plants provided by the improvement of K+ nutrition thanks to mycorrhizal symbioses are presented.

Mots clés: Potassium; K+transport; root; K+ nutrition; symbiosis; transfer from the soil to the plant

Domaines: Biologie végétale

Kevin Garcia, Sabine Zimmermann. The disregarded mycorrhizal contribution to plant potassium nutrition. Frontiers in Plant Science, 2014, 5, pp.335. ⟨10.3389/fpls.2014.00337⟩. ⟨hal-01044825⟩