Mycorrhizal Associations in Orchids: A Review

Aim/Background: Orchids, known for their exquisite beauty of flowers and ecological diversities, invariably depend on mycorrhizal fungi partner to obtain the essential nutrients and growth factors at the time of their seed germination and further growth and development. This paper will explore the multifaceted roles including importance of mycorrhizal associations in orchids, mechanisms, specificity, and ecological implications. Therefore, the specificity in orchid mycorrhizal associations, including the high selectivity level of the fungus by different orchid species, signals co-evolutionary dynamics in orchids and their fungal partners. Besides, fungal partners are recorded to have indispensable roles including nutrient acquisition, water uptake and resistance to the stresses of the environment, improvement of orchid fitness etc. Materials and Methods: An extensive literature study was done to understand and explore the basis and mechanism of orchid mimicry using variety of genuine search engines including google, Wikipedia, online libraries, books and monographs available online and offline. Results and Conclusion: This review highlights intimate and intricate symbiosis of orchid plants with fungal partner. The mycorrhizal associations in orchids are not only shaped by the specificity of interactions (molecular recognition) between different fungal partners and among different orchid species but also by the co-evolutionary mosaic that has contributed to the current diversity and distribution of orchids around the globe. It also sheds light on the intricate plant-fungal encounters that support the biology and ecology of the charismatic orchids and opens tantalizing research opportunities to conserve these captivating plant-fungal unions in their natural habitats. Further investigation into the mechanisms underlying orchid mycorrhizal interactions is pivotal in the quest to reveal the beneficial significance of these symbiotic relations.