The future has roots in the past: the ideas and scientists that shaped mycorrhizal research

Our knowledge of mycorrhizas dates back to at least 150 years ago, when the plant pathologists A.B. Frank and G. Gibelli described the surprisingly morphology of forest tree roots surrounded by a fungal mantle. Compared with this history, our molecular study of mycorrhizas remains a young science. To trace the history of mycorrhizal research, from its roots in the distant past, to the present and the future, this review outlines a few topics that were already central in the nineteenth century and were seminal in revealing the biological meaning of mycorrhizal associations. These include investigations of nutrient exchange between partners, plant responses to mycorrhizal fungi, and the identity and evolution of mycorrhizal symbionts, as just a few examples of how the most recent molecular studies of mycorrhizal biology sprouted from the roots of past research. In addition to clarifying the ecological role of mycorrhizas, some of the recent results have changed the perception of the relevance of mycorrhizas in the scientific community, and in the whole society. Looking to past knowledge while foreseeing strategies for the next steps can help us catch a glimpse of the future of mycorrhizal research.