Inoculation with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in plant tolerance to cadmium: a systematic review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.36560/18620252127Keywords:
Endomycorrhizae, Toxicity, Heavy metals, Oxidative stress, Regenerative agricultureAbstract
Common soil contamination by cadmium (Cd) poses a significant threat to environmental and plant health. In this context, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) have been studied as an ecological alternative to mitigate the toxic effects of Cd in plants. The objective of the present study was to systematically review the scientific literature of the past five years in order to assess the reported effects of AMF inoculation on plant tolerance to Cd. Searches were conducted in the Web of Science and Scopus databases, followed by bibliometric analysis using RStudio software and the Bibliometrix package, as well as screening of eligible studies. In the end, of the 51 articles generated by the program, 16 met the inclusion criteria. The results indicated that AMF inoculation promotes physiological and morphological benefits to plants, such as increased biomass, photosynthetic efficiency, antioxidant activity, and reduced Cd translocation. Furthermore, the combination with biochar, humus, and fertilizers enhances these beneficial effects. However, the predominance of studies under controlled conditions limits the extrapolation of the results to real environments, highlighting the need for more field research. This systematic review contributes to consolidating current knowledge on the subject and provides insights for future investigations in the context of regenerative agriculture, considering the role of AMF in soil quality restoration, reduction of Cd toxicity, and the promotion of more resilient agricultural systems
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Accepted 2025-10-16
Published 2025-10-27
