Mechanisms of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi-Induced Drought Stress Amelioration in Plants

Drought stress is a global problem affecting society, economy, and the environment. The foremost and worst affected sector impacted by drought is the agriculture sector, thus threatening food security. Hence, it is imperative that we adopt methods that impart drought tolerance to plants. One such approach is the inoculation of plants with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) as it is economical, environment friendly, and sustainable. AMF are soil-dwelling symbiotic fungi that impart drought tolerance to many plants. In this article, we have discussed the recent findings of AMF-induced adaptive strategies of plants in overcoming drought stress. These strategies include modifications in the host plant’s structure (leaf and root architecture), biochemistry (such as accumulation of osmolytes), and physiology (acquisition of water and nutrients, chlorophyll synthesis, hormone signaling). The article has also identified and presented gaps in research, the unraveling of which can improve our knowledge of mechanisms of drought tolerance brought about by AMF colonization.