Plants are exposed to attackers above ground, and they also face difficulties below ground. The zone surrounding the roots of a plant is its own little community called the rhizosphere, and it is not an empty neighborhood! The soil around roots is full of microorganisms. Of these microorganisms, there are some that establish give-and-take relationships with the roots of plants. One such group of soilborne organisms is called arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), which we abbreviate as AMF. How could such a community in the rhizosphere be of help to its plant host?
Well, you are free to move about to grab a nutritious snack or go to the doctor for prescriptions when you feel sick. Plants cannot walk, so they depend on their roots to search for water and nutrients. Roots are limited in length, of course, so plants look to other sources for help, including AMF. AMF are fungi (related to mushrooms) that are similar in appearance to roots and they enable the plant's roots to reach more nutrients required for growth. The structure of AMF is much finer than plant roots though, so the fungi are able to absorb minerals more efficiently than the plant.

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