Good preparation is key -- even for plant cells and symbiotic fungi
Not only mineral oil and petroleum gas, also phosphorous is a scarce resource. According to well-respected scientists who gathered together for a conference in Cambridge this August, we will face significant problems relating to phosphorous deficiency in just 20 years from now. Phosphorous, this important and essential mineral, is part of our DNA and, therefore, irreplaceable. Many soils are already depleted for phosphorous today. Plants growing on these soils are only able to take up enough phosphorous by living in symbiosis with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AM fungi). Arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis (AM symbiosis) can be found in almost all vascular plants and there is strong indication that plants have a special genetic programme for it.