The main objective of this COST Action was to gain pre-competative theoretical and applied knowledge essential for the use of arbuscular mycorrhiza (AM) fungi in improving plant health and fitness, production of high quality food, and in conservation of natural resources.
The most important output of this Action is a book on “Mycorrhizal Technology: in Agriculture from Genes to Bioproducts”, edited by COST 838 and published in 2002.
The content of this book is not limited to basic knowledge on the genetics, physiology and ecology of AM, but also analyses the impact of this symbiosis on agroecosystems dynamics, discusses the possibilities of technology transfer into commercial practices, emphasises problems concerning the quality of inoculum production and its proper use and presents examples of succesfull introduction of AM fungi into plant production systems. As a general goal the book demonstrates that AM symbiosis are an essential component to sustain soil quality, plant health and productivity.
This book is geared towards post graduate students, teachers and researchers in the field, and more generally to all professionals wishing to promote the use of biological tools in plant production, land restoration, land management and more widely, in sustainable development.
This Action also had a very important impact on the development of the International Bank for Glomeromycota (http://www.kent.ac.uk/bio/beg/) and a determinant input in the creation of the Federation of European Mycorrhizal Fungi Producers (FEMFiP). The Action ended in June 2005 with a very succesfull final workshop and a training week for young researchers in “Sampling and evaluation strategies for AM fungi diversity characterisation”.
