Deeply rooted: Can a hidden fungus support our crops? ​

​A fascinating partnership between plant roots and soil fungi takes place underground – an almost invisible fungal network that enters deep into root cells and that has been shaping life in the soil for over 450 million years. The arbuscular mycorrhiza, ‘tree-like fungal root’, is one of the best-known symbioses in biology. The fungi supply the plant with water and nutrients, especially phosphate, and in return receive sugar from photosynthesis as well as fatty acids. Thereby, arbuscular mycorrhiza promotes the growth of numerous land plants, can reduce the need for synthetic fertilisers and point the way to new approaches to sustainable agriculture.

The exhibition “Deeply rooted” by the TRR356 PlantMicrobe research network was created in close collaboration with the Botanical Garden Munich-Nymphenburg and invites visitors to discover this hidden world both scientifically and playfully.