Urban Farm DB
Research catalogue
Database research record2023·United States

Mycorrhizal fungi and soil factors influence toxic element uptake in urban grown produce

Logan Bowdish, Adalie Duran, Justin Richardson, Eric Vukicevich

Urban Agriculture & Regional Food Systems

Urban Farm DB summary

In an urban community farm, this study evaluated how crop identity, harvested tissue, and soil factors—including arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi—affect crop uptake of lead and arsenic. Lead uptake increased with lower soil pH and lower soil phosphorus, greater AM fungal colonization was associated with greater lead uptake, while more fungal storage vesicles related to less arsenic uptake into leaves.