Introduction:
The word mycorrhiza derives from the Greek “mykes”, meaning fungus and “rhiza”, referring to roots. There fore, it denotes a symbiotic relationship between plants and fungi, in which both the plant and fungi benefit from this association. Usually, this symbiosis is between green chlorophyllous plants that are autotrophs and produce their food and nutrients through photosynthesis.
Therefore, these plants can supply the essential nutrients that the fungi in this partnership need. In return, the fungi interacting with the roots of these plants help them absorb soil water and minerals, especially phosphorus, nitrogen and others. These also shield the plant roots from the intrusion of other microbes and enhance their absorption efficiency, thus improving the plants’ survival even in challenging soil conditions. Mycorrhiza are two kinds, namely ectomycorrhiza and endomycorrhiza. The ectomycorrhizal association occurs when fungi do not invade the plant roots, while endomycorrhiza refers to an association where fungi penetrate the cortex of the plant roots. To understand ectomycorrhiza and endomycorrhiza differences, it is important to know what their characteristics are.
Ectomycorrhiza:
In ectomycorrhizal associations, the fungal hyphae do not invade the cortical cell walls of the plant roots. Instead, it shapes a network of hyphae which penetrates between the root epidermis and cortex, known as the Hartig net. This arrangement gives the plants necessary minerals and allows the exchange of nutrients between both. Besides the Hartig net, the fungi also shape a meshwork of hyphae which, comparatively denser, unsheathes the plant root tip. Woody plants are mainly associated in an ectomycorrhizal association with fungi belonging to the class Ascomycetes, Zygomycetes and Basidiomycetes.
Endomycorrhiza:
In the endomycorrhizal association, the fungal hyphae penetrate the cell wall of the plant. Arbuscular mycorrhiza: In the most common form of endomycorrhizal association, that is arbuscular mycorrhiza, the hyphae do not enter the cell cytoplasm, it instead causes the membrane to invaginate. At this contact site, structures called vesicles and arbuscules are formed. These morphologies allow for better nutrient exchange between the two.
Ericoid Mycorrhiza:
In the Ericoid mycorrhizal association, the hyphae form a loose network around the root hair & penetrate the cortical cell wall.
Differences Between Ectomycorrhiza and Endomycorrhiza
S.No |
Category |
Ectomycorrhiza |
Endomycorrhiza |
|
1 |
Definition |
It is a mutualistic relationship between plants and fungi in which the fungal hyphae do not invade the plant root cells; instead, they grow between the cells. | It is a mutualistic relationship between plants and fungi in which the fungal hyphae infiltrate the host cell wall. |
|
2 |
Location of association |
The ectomycorrhizal association is extracellular. | The endomycorrhizal association is intracellular. |
|
3 |
Morphology |
The components involved in an ectomycorrhizal association are the mantle and Hartig’s net. | The most common type of structures observed in an endomycorrhizal association are arbuscules and vesicles. |
|
4 |
Categories |
Arbutoid mycorrhizal associations are classified as ectomycorrhiza. The Endomycorrhiza Endomycorrhiza come in various type, including arbuscular, ericoid, orchid, & monotropoid mycorrhiza. | Endomycorrhiza is of several types, like arbuscular, Ericoid, Orchid and Monotropoid Mycorrhiza. |
|
5 |
Fungi group associated with the mutualism |
The phyla Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, and Zygomycota engage in ectomycorrhizal interactions with the roots of woody trees. | The phylum Glomeromycota establishes an arbuscular mycorrhizal relationship with vascular plants. Nonetheless, Basidiomycetes are recognized for forming orchid mycorrhiza. |
| 6. | Abundance | Ectomycorrhiza constitutes only 4% of the mycorrhizal population and is thus scarce compared to the endomycorrhizal population. | Endomycorrhizae make up approximately 80% of the mycorrhizal population, making them more prevalent than ectomycorrhizae. |
Summary
To summarise, this article sheds light on the differences between the two types of mycorrhizal association, ectomycorrhiza and endomycorrhiza. It further explains what the terminologies mean, their characteristics, and the structures related to the development of such symbiosis. Though they share some distinctive differences between the two, the bottom line of both is that they contribute to the exchange of nutrients between the plants and fungi.
