Role of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in the production of medicinal crops

It is essential to facilitate the positive aspects of soil-plant microbes interactions to maintain sustainable agriculture by minimising the use of agro-chemicals. Rhizo-biota of around 98% of angiosperms, including medicinal plants, inhabits arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), which, not only play a significant role in their growth as biofertilizers, but also stimulate biosynthesis of secondary metabolites (SM) by influencing the biosynthetic pathways. Environmental stresses are known to induce changes in the SM profiles. This chapter highlights the role played by the mycorrhizosphere microbiota for enhancing growth and SM biosynthesis in medicinal plants. Various aspects such as the occurrence of mycorrhizae on growth and yield of medicinal plants, and in the synthesis of secondary metabolites, are being reviewed by various researchers. The chapter will also take into account the role played by the root-associated microbiota, i.e. synergetic effect of AMF-PGPR-plant consortium, in enhancing the biosynthesis of SM such as alkaloids, cannabinoids, phenolics, etc. and the challenges and opportunities in undertaking research in this area.