By: César Marín
On this of our blog, in my capacity of Editor of about ten journals, I am posting what I call: “César Marín’s mycorrhizal picks”, where I list scientific papers across different areas of mycorrhizal research including applications, agriculture, evolution, molecular biology, physiology, tools, models, among many others, that have caught my attention – for most, just after reading the Abstract. Please find below list of the 74 mycorrhizal papers from the first semester of 2026, that caught my attention.
Disclaimer 1: The inclusion or exclusion of any article does not represent the opinion or endorsment of the South American Mycorrhizal Research Network and of any of the societies, networks, and initiatives to which we belong or collaborate with.
Disclaimer 2: This list represents probably less than 10% of mycorrhizal research papers produced every year. I estimate more than 1000-1500 mycorrhizal papers are being published every year, with exponential growth.
Disclamier 3: Several of the papers probably belong to two or more three categories/areas of research, as limits between areas have become blurred.
Mycorrhizal molecular biology:
– Beltrán‐Torres, G., De La Cruz, H. J., Maury, S., Janoušková, M., Veneault‐Fourrey, C., Latzel, V., … & Sammarco, I. (2026). Epigenetic regulation of mycorrhizal symbioses: from plastic responses to transgenerational legacies. New Phytologist, 250(3), 1438-1452.
– Boyno, G., Demir, S., & Rezaee Danesh, Y. (2026). Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and strigolactones: modulating molecular defense mechanisms in wheat against Fusarium culmorum. Plant and Soil, 518(1), 677-699.
– Khan, Y., Shah, S., Jan, M. F., & Bouskout, M. (2025). Integrative regulatory networks modulating arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis. Rhizosphere, 101248.
– Nickles, G. R., Stokes, C. K., Narh, D. L., Lynn, K. M., Fuqua, S. R., Bryan, C., … & Pringle, A. (2026). Equipped for success: genomes and metabolomes of the European Amanita muscaria are conserved in its novel South African range. New Phytologist, 250(3), 1863-1883.
– Raj, K., Gaugler, V., Lu, M., Schädel, M., Gaugler, P., Grothaus, C. M., … & Ried-Lasi, M. K. (2026). Lotus japonicus VIH2 is an inositol pyrophosphate synthase that regulates arbuscular mycorrhiza. Science Advances, 12(21), eaec5607.
– Sethu Madhavan, A., & Müller, L. M. (2026). Balancing mutualism: choice and sanctions in root–microbe symbioses. New Phytologist, 250(5), 2814-2836.
– Stuer, N., Leroy, T., Eekhout, T., De Keyser, A., Staut, J., De Rybel, B., … & Goormachtig, S. (2026). Decoding stage-specific symbiotic programs in the Rhizophagus irregularis-tomato interaction using single-nucleus transcriptomics. Current Biology, 36(13), 3294-3314.
– Usländer, A., Haag, M. V., Cheng, A. P., Lederer, B., Khoo, J. Y., Dunker, F., … & Gutjahr, C. (2026). Cross-kingdom RNA interference promotes arbuscular mycorrhiza development. Nature Plants, 12(4), 695-702.
– Zhang, J., Liang, J., Chen, Y., An, M., & Li, X. (2026). Transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses reveal the role of flavonoids in ectomycorrhizal symbiosis. Mycorrhiza, 36(1), 3.
– Zhang, X., Zhang, P., Liu, Y., He, Y., Wang, L., Martin, F. M., & Zhang, F. (2026). Functional specialisation of ammonium transporters in the ectomycorrhizal fungus Laccaria bicolor. New Phytologist, 250(4), 2552-2569.
Agriculture, mycorrhizas & applications:
– Crawford, K. M., Dice, C. G., & Clark, G. S. (2026). Why, when, and how microbes can benefit ecological restorations: current approaches and future directions. New Phytologist, 250(1), 74-88.
– Decurgez, C. G., Cordon, G., Fernández Bidondo, L., Rothen, C., Grimoldi, A. A., & Casas, C. (2026). Drought-response strategies in arbuscular mycorrhizal plant symbioses are shaped by inoculum environmental origin. Plant and Soil, 1-18.
– Du, X., Bi, Y., Tian, L., Yin, K., & Cao, Y. (2026). Effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal inoculation on microbial community structure and soil aggregate stability in open pit dumps. Rhizosphere, 101302.
– Ji, C., Wu, T., Tian, Y., Li, J., Dong, J., Xing, S., … & Zhu, Y. (2026). Synergistic response of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and hyphosphere microbiome to arsenic contamination in agricultural soils. New Phytologist, 249(4), 1954-1967.
– Khan, R., Shang, Y., Wang, C., Sun, F., Li, M., Li, Y., … & Gao, D. (2026). Common mycorrhizal networks regulate nutrient and hormone-related gene expression in tomato under a tomato-potato onion intercropping system. Plant and Soil, 1-17.
– Ribera, P. R. V., Nogales, A., Calvet, C., Camprubí, A., & Biel, C. (2026). Mycorrhizal inoculation and crop rotation as soil sustainable management strategies to reduce fertilizer use and water consumption in horticultural crops. Applied Soil Ecology, 218, 106719.
– Seemakram, W., Paluka, J., Khota, W., Suebrasri, T., Lapjit, C., Kuyper, T. W., & Boonlue, S. (2026). Enhancement of fiber content and cannabinoids of hemp using arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and endophytic fungi. Scientific Reports.
– Sun, T., Delaplace, P., Li, G., James, A., Pan, J., & Zhang, J. (2026). Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi bioaugmentation improves soil health in long-term biosolids-amended farmland. Applied Soil Ecology, 217, 106615.
– Walliser, S., Boussageon, R., Valzano-Held, A., van der Heijden, M. G., & Lutz, S. (2026). Scale-dependent effects of fungicide seed coating on arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi: from spore germination to field performance. Applied Soil Ecology, 222, 107008.
– Wang, H., Zhu, J., Wang, M., Zhang, L., Gao, Y., Shi, L., … & Zhang, T. (2026). Sustainable land use and agricultural management enhance arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal communities and soil health. Applied Soil Ecology, 221, 106913.
– Yu, S., Liu, X., Liu, L., Ma, Y., Liu, B., Xiang, W., … & Sun, C. (2026). Divergent responses of maize and soybean to intercropping: Insights from arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi diversity, colonization, and related-genes expression. Plant and Soil, 520(1), 175-193.
– Zhang, Z., Li, J., Wei, Z., Wang, L., Pan, R., Guo, W., & Shangguan, Z. (2026). Effect of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi community structure on soil organic carbon in the vegetation restoration chronosequence of Robinia pseudoacacia plantation. Rhizosphere, 101323.
Mycorrhizal ecology:
– Ajaz, S., Amin, N., López‐García, Á., Birt, H., Pajares‐Murgó, M., Lanfranco, L., … & Caruso, T. (2026). Maximum entropy networks show that plant–arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi associations are anti‐nested and modular. New Phytologist, 249(1), 460-475.
– Alguacil, M. D. M., Ambrosino, M., López‐García, Á., Muñoz‐Gálvez, F. J., Prieto, I., Igual, J. M., & Querejeta, J. I. (2026). Increased arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal biomass and diversity in soil under long‐term climate drying and warming. New Phytologist, 250(6), 3961-3975.
– Bi, Y., Wang, D., Xiao, L., Wang, X., & Guo, W. (2026). Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi facilitate the accumulation of litter-derived carbon in nitrogen-limited soils: A microcosmic experiment. Applied Soil Ecology, 220, 106863.
– Briones, F., Pérez, M. F., Hinojosa, L. F., Herrera, H., Cisternas, M., & Mujica, M. I. (2026). Trade-offs between competitive ability and host germination-inducing capacity in the orchid mycorrhizal genus Ceratobasidium with terrestrial orchids of the genus Bipinnula. Symbiosis, 99(2), 191-203.
– Chen, P., Cheng, Y., Chen, R., Wang, N., Yu, J., Xue, L., & Yang, L. (2026). Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi inoculation enhances 15N uptake by rice via modifying rhizosphere and hyphosphere soil bacterial and fungal community and soil enzyme activity. Plant and Soil, 518(1), 121-142.
– Cortese, A. M., Eagar, A. C., Moledor, S. M., Smemo, K. A., Phillips, R. P., & Blackwood, C. B. (2026). Ectomycorrhizal fungal diversity may be influenced by arbuscular mycorrhizal trees in mixed temperate forests. Mycorrhiza, 36(3), 24.
– De La Cruz, H. J., Marro, N., Caccia, M., Žďárská, K., & Janoušková, M. (2026). Competitive dynamics of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi as depending on fungal traits and host plant species. Mycorrhiza, 36(2), 10.
– Djotan, A. K. G., Matsushita, N., Matsuda, Y., & Fukuda, K. (2026). Persistence of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi with thinning disturbances and local soil property variation in a planted Cryptomeria japonica forest. Fungal Ecology, 80, 101496.
– Dong, Q., Guo, X., Chen, K., Ren, S., Tang, Y., Dai, X., … & Ji, B. (2026). Thresholds and shifting drivers for the temporal dynamics of mycorrhizal symbiosis in a temperate grassland. Plant and Soil, 1-19.
– Floriani, F. D., Mujtar, V. A. E., Sbrancia, R., Peñalba, M. G., Marchelli, P., & Fernández, N. V. (2026). Variability of ectomycorrhizal fungal community traits in mixed Nothofagus forests: insights into host plant and environmental context. Plant and Soil, 520(2), 1683-1699.
– Giles, P. V., Salgado Salomón, M. E., Carrión, N. N., & Barroetaveña, C. (2026). Amanita muscaria invasion in native Nothofagaceae of Patagonian Argentina: updates on hosts and morphological tools for monitoring and control. Symbiosis, 98(3), 269-278.
– Jenab, K., Alteio, L., Guseva, K., Gorka, S., Darcy, S., Fuchslueger, L., … & Kaiser, C. (2026). Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal families and exploration‐based guilds exhibit distinct responses to long‐term N, P and K deficiencies and imbalances. New Phytologist, 250(3), 1846-1862.
– Košnar, J., Šmilauerová, M., Pecková, T., & Šmilauer, P. (2026). Phosphorus availability modifies the responses of Glomeromycotina and Mucoromycotina to nitrogen addition. Mycorrhiza, 36(2), 11.
– Lanati, M., Omacini, M., Grimoldi, A. A., & García-Parisi, P. A. (2026). Foliar fungal endophytes and common mycorrhizal networks shape nitrogen dynamics in multi-symbiotic grass–legume systems. Plant and Soil, 521(2), 1499-1515.
– Laurent‐Webb, L., Rech, P., Bourceret, A., Chaumenton, C., Deveau, A., Genola, L., … & Selosse, M. A. (2026). Endophytic and ectomycorrhizal, an overlooked dual ecological niche? Insights from natural environments and Russula species. The New Phytologist, 250(6), 3946.
– Liu, X., Wang, P., Qu, H., Ding, Z., Li, J., Xu, D., … & Bao, Y. (2026). Niche-based filtering governs arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal community variation in temperate grasslands of Northern China. Applied Soil Ecology, 220, 106834.
– Maerowitz-McMahan, S., Gordon, C. E., Nolan, R. H., Matta, P., de la Mata, A. M., & Powell, J. R. (2025). Decoupled responses of mycorrhizal fungal communities and function to recurrent wildfire. Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 110070.
– McCarthy-Neumann, S., Wood, K. E., & Kobe, R. K. (2026). Mycorrhizal identity and light shape tree seedling biomass responses in plant–soil feedbacks. Plant and Soil, 520(1), 509-525.
– Murindangabo, Y. T., Hashim, F., Redzuan, N. S., Zheng, H., Peng, Y., Yue, K., … & Heděnec, P. (2026). Tree species identity, mycorrhizal associations, and land-use legacy shape soil protist diversity and community composition through litter quality and soil properties. Plant and Soil, 1-20.
– Pan, L., & Cai, B. (2026). The core microbiome of the AMF hyphosphere: mineralization mechanisms of key soil mineral elements. Mycorrhiza, 36(1), 6.
– Petrolli, R., Kemmerling, R., Collobert, G., Hellequin, E., Robinet, T., Lancaster, N., … & Martos, F. (2026). The distribution of mycorrhizal fungi on tree barks correlates with the host preference of the tropical epiphytic orchid Bulbophyllum variegatum on La Réunion island. Fungal Ecology, 81, 101506.
– Rombouts, T., Van Der Bauwhede, R., Campioli, M., Wallander, H., Sitters, J., & Verbruggen, E. (2026). Interactions between silicate weathering and ectomycorrhiza in severely acidified forests. Communications Earth & Environment, 7(1), 436.
– Šmilauer, P., Košnar, J., & Šmilauerová, M. (2026). Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal communities shift their foraging functional traits in response to grassland fertilisation. New Phytologist, 249(1), 11-15.
– Tanigawa, K., & Hirao, T. (2026). Legacy effects of deer overpopulation on tree seedlings are dependent on mycorrhizal associations. Plant and Soil, 1-22.
– Verbeek, C. T., Gomes, S. I., & Merckx, V. S. (2026). Arbuscular mycorrhiza in the urban jungle: Glomeromycotina communities of the dominant city tree across Amsterdam. Plants, People, Planet, 8(3), 983-999.
– Wang, L., Gao, H., Fu, S., Li, H., Xu, L., Zhang, L., … & Godbold, D. (2026). Ectomycorrhizal exploration types shape soil enzyme activity, decomposition, and nitrogen dynamics in subalpine forests. Plant and Soil, 518(2), 1643-1663.
– Yang, S., Shaaban, M., Ji, C., Shi, Z., Gao, J., & Wu, S. (2026). Forests mycorrhizal types mediate responses of soil microbial carbon to microbial nitrogen but not phosphorus. Rhizosphere, 101359.
– Yue, J., He, Y., Ma, W., Zhao, C., Liu, Y., Zhang, L., … & Zhang, Y. (2026). Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi mitigate microplastic-induced shifts in soil nematode communities. Applied Soil Ecology, 219, 106765.
– Zuev, A. G., Hauer, A., Angst, G., Chatzinotas, A., Eisenhauer, N., Ferlian, O., … & Potapov, A. (2026). Rapid allocation of freshly added organic nitrogen to particulate organic matter in ectomycorrhiza-but not arbuscular mycorrhiza-dominated forests. Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 109999.
Mycorrhizal physiology:
– Falcão, E. L., de Carvalho, J. G. L., da Silva Almeida, J. R. G., Wu, Q. S., & da Silva, F. S. B. (2026). An overlooked synergy: arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and increased accumulation of plant saponins. Rhizosphere, 101274.
– Jiang, H. R., Fu, W. L., Deng, C., Zou, Y. N., Alqahtani, M. D., & Wu, Q. S. (2026). Hyphosphere metabolic reprogramming in lipids and aromatic amino acids drives differential mycorrhizal growth promotion in trifoliate orange. Rhizosphere, 101280.
– Liu, Q., Mo, L., Shen, Y., Pang, Z., Fallah, N., Chen, B., & Yuan, Z. (2026). Nitrogen starvation induces arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi to optimize resource allocation in sugarcane roots via suppression of basal metabolism. npj Biofilms and Microbiomes, 12(1), 64.
– Peng, L., Yang, Y., Martin, F. M., & Yuan, Z. (2026). Endophytes with mycorrhizal potentials: biological and ecological implications. New Phytologist, 249(5), 2224-2231.
– Urcelay, C., Borda, V., Marro, N., & López‐Ráez, J. A. (2026). Flavonoids, strigolactones, and beyond: scaling plant‐arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi communication towards community‐level dynamics. New Phytologist, 250(6), 3559-3571.
Mycorrhizal tools:
– Escudero‐Martinez, C., Browne, E. Y., Schwalm, H., Santangeli, M., Brown, M., Brown, L., … & Oburger, E. (2026). Evaluation of combined root exudate and rhizosphere microbiota sampling approaches to elucidate plant–soil–microbe interactions. New Phytologist, 250(6), 4077-4092.
– Nagy, V., Sándor, R., Klem, K., & Urban, O. (2026). Functional limitations of glomalin-related soil protein as an indicator of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi while remaining relevant to soil health. Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 110076.
– Paillat, L., Cannavo, P., Mouret, A., Metzger, E., Huché-Thélier, L., Barraud, F., … & Guénon, R. (2025). Locating enzyme activities and nutrients in the rhizosphere: Combining zymography and DET methods. Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 110039.
– Spence, S. A., Shelton, B. R., Belsham, D. Y., Larrere, J., Bruce, C. E., Regush, O. J., & Hart, M. M. (2026). Optimization of a high-throughput single spore DNA extraction protocol for the model species of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, Rhizophagus irregularis. Mycorrhiza, 36(3), 30.
– Toyooka, K., Saito, Y., Kojima, S., Goto, Y., & Sato, M. (2026). Biological cross-sectional polishing scanning electron microscopy enables wide-area ultrastructural mapping of intact plant–microbe–soil interfaces. Communications Earth & Environment, 7, 612.
Mycorrhizal meta-analyses, synthesis, and reviews:
– Delavaux, C. S. (2026). On the role of mutualisms in plant biogeography: consequences for ecology, evolution, and invasion. New Phytologist, 249(2), 714-721.
– Du, X., & Fan, X. (2026). Effects of nitrogen and phosphorus addition on the diversity of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal communities in agroecosystems. Rhizosphere, 101286.
– Kokkoris, V. (2026). Mycelial dynamics in arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. New phytologist, 249(2), 691-713.
– MacColl, K., Mugambi, K., Oliveira, J., Ferguson, R., & Corradi, N. (2026). From genes to epigenomes: rethinking arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi adaptation. Trends in Microbiology, 34(9), 923-931.
– Penton, C. R., & Vadakattu, G. (2026). The root rhizosphere as a functional analog to the gut microbiome: Cases for microbial symbiosis and dysbiosis in parallel contexts. PNAS Nexus, 5(5), pgag132.
– Rillig, M. C. (2026). Fungal diversity, ecology and functions in soil ecosystems. Nature Reviews Microbiology, 1-14.
– Sani, Z. K., Shah, T., Basiru, S., Salmon, M. A., Radouane, N., Legeay, J., & Hijri, M. (2026). Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi mitigate cadmium toxicity in plants: A global meta-analysis. Mycorrhiza, 36(1), 2.
– Stewart, J. D., Bisot, C., Cargill, R. I., Van Nuland, M. E., Hawkins, H. J., Oyarte Galvez, L., … & Kiers, E. T. (2026). Global density and biomass of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal networks. Science, 392(6803), 1171-1176.
– Zeng, M., & Zhang, H. (2026). Nutrient allocation in mycorrhizal-plant-herbivore interactions. Rhizosphere, 101253.
Mycorrhizal evolution (macro and micro):
– Marandola, T., Martins, E., Antunes, P. M., & Stürmer, S. L. (2026). Variability among Acaulosporaceae taxa challenges assumptions of trait conservatism in arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. Applied Soil Ecology, 218, 106695.
– Shen, Z., Zhang, C., Si, M., Wang, S., Li, G., Liu, R., & Shao, J. (2026). Mycorrhizal type shapes climatic dependence and evolutionary rates of woody plant biomass responses to drought. Communications Earth & Environment, 7, 786.
– Strullu‐Derrien, C., Wightman, R., McDonnell, L. P., Evans, G., Fercoq, F. A., Kenrick, P., … & Schornack, S. (2026). An arbuscular mycorrhiza from the 407‐million‐year‐old Windyfield Chert identified through advanced fluorescence and Raman imaging. New Phytologist, 249(1), 448-459.
– Wang, L., Zhou, J., Wei, W., George, T. S., & Feng, G. (2026). Deciphering bacterial community composition and function at critical interfaces of plant-arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi-bacterial holobiont. Mycorrhiza, 36(3), 22.