Glomeromycota in Peru: an overview and future approaches

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) represent the most widespread symbiosis in ecosystems, being present in 72% of plants. The presented checklist helps to better understand the distribution of AMF due to the lack of information in Peru. The database was obtained through the compilation of publications and separated into the classic natural regions of Peru; Coast, Andean and Amazon. The total richness of AMF from Peru was 93 species of which 84, 26 and two species were reported from the Amazon, Andean, and Coast regions, respectively. Glomeraceae (34.0 %) and Acaulosporaceae (27.6 %) were the most representative families with the genera Acaulospora (26 spp.), Glomus (9 spp.) and Rhizophagus (8 spp.). The rarefaction curve showed an estimate of 124 species for the Amazon region, 36 species for the Andean region, and 2 species for the coastal region. The present study provides the current knowledge of AMF species occurring in Peru and encourages further studies in the Peruvian territory. Results herein represent the first step to understand AMF distribution in Peruvian natural regions and provide the basic knowledge to use AMF as biotechnological tools to improve crop production and recovery of degraded areas in Peru.