Role of phytohormones in arbuscular mycorrhiza development

Arbuscular mycorrhiza (AM) is one of the most prominent symbiotic associations in nature. It involves arbuscular mycorrhiza fungi (AMF) of the Glomeromycotina and land plants and acts as a nutrient acquisition strategy for plants. An important process for the development of this association is the exchange of chemical signals between the symbionts and the accommodation of AMF inside the plant roots, for which the root cells undergo dramatic developmental changes. Plant hormones are important determinants of the balance between plant development, nutrition and stress response and their regulatory role in the establishment of AM symbiosis is an area of active research. This chapter summarizes and discusses the current knowledge on the role of phytohormones in AM development.