Mycorrhizal Symbiosis: Fungal Benefits — NEET Biology
✅ Asked in NEET 2017Fungi are also known to form symbiotic associations with plants (mycorrhiza). Many members of the genus Glomus form mycorrhiza. The fungal symbiont in these associations absorbs phosphorus from soil and passes it to the plant. Plants having such associations show other benefits also, such as resistance to root-borne pathogens, tolerance to salinity and drought, and an overall increase in plant growth and development. Can you tell what advantage the fungus derives from this association?
Mycorrhiza is a mutualistic symbiosis where fungi absorb phosphorus from soil and transfer it to plants, while plants provide fungi with carbohydrates produced during photosynthesis. NTA tests whether students understand that this is a *mutual* benefit relationship—the fungus derives nutrition (sugars/carbohydrates) from the plant, not just phosphorus. Students commonly forget to mention the fungal advantage and incorrectly think it's a one-way benefit to plants. Remember: the plant gains minerals and disease resistance; the fungus gains organic nutrients. This concept bridges microbiology and plant physiology, making it high-yield for testing both symbiosis types and nutrient cycling.
Select the mismatch. (NEET 2017)
Through deep analysis of NEET and NTA, 88 of 90 questions from the NEET 2026 paper were matched straight from the MedicNEET Biology question bank.
88/90MedicNEET's Biology question bank is built from the same NCERT lines NTA picks repeatedly. Not random MCQs — questions crafted exactly like NTA crafts them.