PART ONE: HOST-FUNGAL INTERACTIONS: PRE- PENETRATION Chapter 1: Fungal spore germination and pre-symbiotic mycelial growth - Physiological and genetic aspects/ Manuela Giovannetti, Luciano Avio, Cristiana Sbrana Chapter 2: Metabolites in separated exudate fractions of carrot roots grown under phosphorus stress and their potential role in AM fungus/host interactions/ Gerald Nagahashi, David D. Douds, Yurdagul Ferhatoglu Chapter 3:The making of symbiotic cells in arbuscular mycorrhizal roots/ Andrea Genre, Paola Bonfante Chapter 4: Strigolactones and their role in arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis/ Soizic Rochange PART TWO: HOST-FUNGAL INTERACTIONS: POST- PENETRATION Chapter 5: Molecular-physiological aspects of the AM symbiosis post penetration/ Philipp Franken Chapter 6: Phosphate transporters in arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis/ Maria J. Harrison, Nathan Pumplin, Florence J. Breuillin, Roslyn D. Noar, Hee-Jin Park Chapter 7: Nutrient uptake: The arbuscular mycorrhiza fungal symbiosis as a plant nutrient acquisition strategy/Elke Neumann, Eckhard George Chapter 8: Hormonal responses in host plants triggered by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi/ Jutta Ludwig-Müller PART THREE: INFLUENCE OF THE SYMBIOSIS ON THE HOST AND ITS SURROUNDING: HOST RESPONSE TO BIOTIC STRESS Chapter 9: Impact of arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis on plant response to biotic stress: the role of plant defence mechanisms/ María J. Pozo, Sabine C. Jung, Juan A. López-Ráez, Concepción Azcón-Aguilar Chapter 10: Biotic environment of the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in soil/ Jan Jansa, Milan Gryndler PART FOUR: INFLUENCE OF THE SYMBIOSIS ON THE HOST AND ITS SURROUNDING: HOST RESPONSE TO ABIOTIC STRESS Chapter 11: Host response to osmotic stresses: stomatal behaviour and water use efficiency of arbuscular mycorrhizal plants/ Juan Manuel Ruiz-Lozano, Ricardo Aroca Chapter 12: Metal tolerant mycorrhizal plants: A review from the perspective on industrial waste in temperate region/ Katarzyna Turnau,Przemys?aw Ryszka, Grzegorz Wojtczak PART FIVE: EVOLUTIONARY AND DIVERSITY PERSPECTIVES OF MYCORRHITIC ASSOCIATION Chapter 13: Effect of differences among crop species and cultivars on the arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis/ Victoria Estaún, Cinta Calvet, Amèlia Camprubí Chapter 14: Mycorrhizal symbiosis and plant reproduction/Roger T. Koide