Utilization of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in production of allium species

The fundamental direction of modern agriculture development is elaboration and utilization of technologies that ensure environmental safety, high plant productivity and quality of crop production. In this connection, the issues of optimization of mineral nutrition and water supply, immunity enhancement and protection of plants against various forms of biotic and abiotic stresses without significant environmental stress are of current interest. Normal growth and development of almost all plants on the Earth depends on the presence of mycorrhizal fungi in the soil, which ensure optimal plant nutrition and water supply due to the huge number of hyphae. The review discusses the prospects for the use of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in the cultivation of Allium species, as the most responsive plants to the effects of mycorrhizae due to the poorly developed root system that hinders the nutrition of plants. It is noted that utilization of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi may provide the reduction of the amount of fertilizers, herbicides and insecticides needed for high productivity of crops. The review deals with the peculiarities of symbiotic interrelations of different species of mycorrhizal fungi (pure and mixed cultures, mainly of the genus Glomus) with different Allium species (onion, garlic, shallot, leek, A. roylei, A. fistulosum, A. galanthum). Questions of agricultural crops quality as affected by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungy are discussed. Data on the effect of climatic conditions on the efficiency of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi utilization in Allium production are discussed. The possibility of increasing the efficiency of biofortification of Allium species with selenium via utilization of arbuscular-mycorrhizal fungi is noted, as well as an increase in the content of biologically active sulfur-containing compounds in garlic. Particular attention is paid to the necessity of the development of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi preparations in Russia - the country not using this ecologically friendly technology at present.