Research progress on the mechanisms of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi on drought resistance in plants

Plants, as sessile organisms, can adopt various strategies to adapt to external stimuli and adversities. One strategy is the establishment of a symbiotic relationship with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF). AMF can form symbiotic relationships with more than 80% of terrestrial plants, promote plant growth and development, and improve plant drought resistance. AMF mechanisms for enhancing drought resistance include promotion of the formation of the soil aggregate structure, improvement of the root architecture, enhancement of water and nutrient uptake, improvement of photosynthesis and water use efficiency, reduction of oxidative damage, strengthening of osmotic regulation, regulation of endogenous hormones, and induction of related gene expression. This study summarized the research progress of AMF on drought resistance in plants both domestically and overseas regarding morphology, physiology, biochemistry, and gene expression and examined the problems of current studies and suggestions for future research.