Mycorrhizal fungi infect more plants
than do any other fungi and are necessary for many plants to thrive, but they
have escaped widespread investigation until recently for two reasons. First, the
symbiotic association is so well-balanced that the roots of host plants show no
damage even when densely infected. Second, the fungi cannot as yet be cultivated
in the absence of a living root. Despite these difficulties, there has been
important new Work that suggests that this symbiotic association can be
harnessed to achieve more economical use of costly superphosphate fertilizer and
to permit better exploitation of cheaper, less-soluble rock phosphate.
Mycorrhizal benefits are not limited to improved phosphate uptake in host
plants. In legumes, mycorrhizal inoculation has increased nitrogen fixation
beyond levels achieved by adding phosphate fertilizer alone. Certain symbiotic
associations also increase the host plant's resistance to harmful root fungi.
Whether this resistance results from exclusion of harmful fungi through
competition for sites, from metabolic change involving antibiotic production, or
from increased vigor is undetermined.
单选题
Which of the following most accurately describes the passage?
【正确答案】
A
【答案解析】
单选题
It can be inferred from the passage that which of the following has been a factor influencing the extent to which research on mycorrhizal fungi has progressed?
【正确答案】
C
【答案解析】
单选题
The level of information in the passage above is suited to the needs of all of the following people except ______.
【正确答案】
B
【答案解析】
单选题
The passage suggests which of the following about the increased resistance to harmful root fungi that some plants infected with mycorrhizal fungi seem to exhibit?