The death of mycorrhizal fungus is the most likely cause of the deficit.
In order to survive, mycorrhizas, which are helpful fungi that grow in close proximity to plant roots, take sugars from the plants in return for nutrients and moisture that the fungus strands have acquired from the soil. By functioning as root system extensions, mycorrhizas significantly expand a plant's absorptive area.
Natural soils frequently have relatively little phosphorus available. For a plant to satisfy its phosphorus needs on its own when phosphorus is present in insoluble forms, a sizable root system is necessary. Mycorrhizas are considered to be essential for capturing this element in untamed soils, according to this theory.
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