Unraveling arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi interaction in rice for plant growth development and enhancing phosphorus use efficiency through recent development of regulatory genes

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) symbiosis, which may be found in almost all naturalistic habitats, perform activities such as nutrition uptake, stress modulation, growth stimulation, soil structure, and fertility management. AMF easily takes up phosphorus (P) from the soil and transports it to the plants. AMF facilitates host plants to grow vigorously under nutrient-deficient conditions by mediating a series of complex communication events between the plant and AMF leading to enhanced uptake of soil nutrients and activation of transporter genes. The fundamental processes of P uptake and utilization, as well as P transport, regulators, root architecture, metabolic adaptations, quantitative trait loci, hormone signaling, and microRNA, have been studied based on molecular and genetic investigations. The current review provides a comprehensive overview of AMF and its effects on rice and other plants at various stages of development, as well as the benefits, applications of AMF, and its interactions between different plant nutrients. It is identified that the expression of certain phosphate transporter family genes and P concentration in plant biomass was significantly increased as a result of the symbiotic relationship between AMF and plants. So, AMF's role as a bio-fertilizer has the potential to enhance the plant’s ability to adapt to changing conditions. AMF-related products for agriculture, horticulture, and landscaping have gained in popularity as a result of AMF's vast potential applicability. We go through recent innovations, developments, and molecular breakthroughs in these areas, as well as the benefits and limitations of using AMF in the future for long-term crop productivity.