Mycorrhizal Associations in Orchids: A Review

Abstract

Aim/Background: Orchids, known for the exquisite beauty of their flowers and ecological diversities, invariably depend on mycorrhizal fungal partners to obtain the essential nutrients and growth factors at the time of their seed germination and further growth and development. This paper will explore the multifaceted roles, including the importance of mycorrhizal associations in orchids, mechanisms, specificity, and ecological implications. Therefore, the specificity in orchid mycorrhizal associations, including the high selectivity level of the fungus by different orchid species, signals co-evolutionary dynamics in orchids and their fungal partners. Besides, fungal partners are recorded to have indispensable roles, including nutrient acquisition, water uptake, and resistance to the stresses of the environment, improving orchid fitness, etc.Materials and Methods: An extensive literature study was done to understand and explore the basis and mechanism of orchid mimicry using a variety of genuine search engines, including Google, Wikipedia, online libraries, books, and monographs available online and offline. Results and Conclusion: This review highlights the intimate and intricate symbiosis of orchid plants with their fungal partners. The mycorrhizal associations in orchids are not only shaped by the specificity of interactions (molecular recognition) between different fungal partners and among different orchid species but also by the co-evolutionary mosaic that has contributed to the current diversity and distribution of orchids around the globe. It also sheds light on the intricate plant-fungal encounters that support the biology and ecology of the charismatic orchids and opens tantalizing research opportunities to conserve these captivating plant-fungal unions in their natural habitats. Further investigation into the mechanisms underlying orchid mycorrhizal interactions is pivotal in the quest to reveal the beneficial significance of these symbiotic relations.

Keywords: Fungal partner; Orchids; Mycorrhizal Association; symbiosis; pelotons; Rhizoctonia spp