Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 15, 2025
Mycorrhizal Maps as a Tool to Explore Colonization Patterns and Fungal Strategies in the Roots of Festuca rubra and Zea mays
Published on: August 26, 2022
VBA-AMF: A VBA Program Based on the Magnified Intersections Method for Quantitative Recording of Root Colonization by
Wentao Hu1, Lan Pan1, Hui Chen1
1State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, Lingnan Guangdong Laboratory of Modern Agriculture, Guangdong Key Laboratory for Innovative Development and Utilization of Forest Plant Germplasm, College of Forestry and Landscape Architecture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642 People's Republic of China.
Researchers developed VBA-AMF, a new Excel tool, to simplify quantifying arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) colonization in plant roots. This method saves time and enhances accuracy in mycorrhizal studies.
Area of Science:
- Mycology
- Plant Pathology
- Computational Biology
Background:
- Quantifying mycorrhizal fungi colonization is crucial for understanding fungi-host interactions.
- Current methods for assessing arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungus colonization are accurate but lack convenient digital tools.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a user-friendly Excel-based procedure for quantifying AM fungal root colonization.
- To introduce a time-saving and convenient tool for researchers in mycorrhizal studies.
Main Methods:
- Development of a Visual Basic for Application (VBA) program integrated into Microsoft Excel.
- The procedure is based on the magnified intersections method for assessing fungal colonization.
Main Results:
- The VBA-AMF procedure offers significant time savings and convenience for researchers.
- Enables accurate computation of AM fungal colonization rates in plant roots.
Conclusions:
- VBA-AMF simplifies the assessment of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi colonization.
- The tool can be adapted to quantify other types of fungal root colonization.
