ABSTRACT
Intensive agriculture envisages the use of high doses of pesticides, fungicides and herbicides to keep the detrimental effects of insects, pathogens and weeds within threshold levels. No doubt, non-target and beneficial organisms may be affected. Population density and community structure of mycorrhizas in the soil may get affected severely when high doses of pesticides/herbicides are applied. Hence, there is every reason to transform inoculant strains of AM/ECM fungi with genes that impart resistance/tolerance to such agricultural chemicals. Some examples are transgenic AM/ECM fungi with genes for resistance to fungicide such as benomyl, antibiotics like hygromycin B, phleomycin. We may also explore the possibility of producing transgenic AM/ECM fungi that resist bacterial infections, either by releasing bacteriostatic substances or specific antibacterial antibiotics. Appropriate gene sources need to identified and transferred into inoculant strains of mycorrhizal fungi. This may at least thwart infection by bacterial pathogens via soil/roots. Transgenic AM/ECM fungi with the ability to release enzymes that enhance rates of pesticide degradation may find application in practical agriculture.
