Alessandra Pepe

TL;DR: The findings expand the current knowledge on AMF biology and life cycle, providing data on ERM long-term survival in the soil of two Glomeracean species, functional to the prompt establishment of mycorrhizal symbioses and to the maintenance of soil biological fertility.

TL;DR: This work demonstrates for the first time that an AMF inoculum, obtained following industrial production processes, is home of a large and diverse community of bacteria with important functional PGP traits, possibly acting in synergy with AMF and providing additional services and benefits.

TL;DR: Findings show that AMF genotypes in Glomeraceae can differ significantly in anastomosis behaviour and that ERM interconnectedness is modulated by the fungal symbiont, as F. coronatus consistently formed poorly interconnected networks when growing in symbiosis with five different host plants and in the asymbiotic stage.

TL;DR: The whole-plant experimental system represents a useful research tool for large production and easy collection of ERM for morphological, physiological, and biochemical analyses, suitable for a wide variety of AMF species, for a virtually limitless range of host plants and for studies involving diverse symbiotic interactions.

TL;DR: Results reported here, obtained by analyses of hyphal compatibility/incompatibility in AMF, suggest that anastomosis formation and establishment of protoplasm flow, fundamental to the maintenance of mycelial physiological and genetic continuity, may affect the fitness of these ecologically important biotrophic fungi.