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Volume 16
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Systematic Review

Not a Universal Solution: A Systematic Review of Context-Dependent AMF and AMF–PGPR Effects in Maize Production

by
Jabir Ali Abdinoor
1,
Gergő Hegedüs
1,
Muhammad Awais
1,
László Bede
1,
Dávid Stencinger
1,
Bálint Horváth
1,
József Balázs Kulmány
1,
Bahar Makbule Temeltürk
1,2,
Áron Licskai
1,
Helga Ambrus
1,
Mózes Miklós Vancsura
1,
Gábor Benedek
1,
Renátó Kalocsai
3,
Judit Makkos-Káldi
4,
Kristóf Péter Tóth
1,
Sándor Zsebő
1,2,
Zoltán Drucskó
5,
Veronika Bedő
6 and
István Mihály Kulmány
1,2,7,*
1
Agricultural and Food Research Centre, Széchenyi István University, Egyetem tér 1, 9026 Győr, Hungary
2
Department of Plant Sciences, Albert Kázmér Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences in Mosonmagyaróvár, Széchenyi István University, Vár tér 2, 9200 Mosonmagyaróvár, Hungary
3
Department of Water Management and Natural Ecosystems, Albert Kázmér Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences in Mosonmagyaróvár, Széchenyi István University, Vár tér 2, 9200 Mosonmagyaróvár, Hungary
4
Department of Agricultural Economics, Albert Kázmér Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences in Mosonmagyaróvár, Széchenyi István University, Vár tér 2, 9200 Mosonmagyaróvár, Hungary
5
IKR Agrár Ltd., 2943 Bábolna, Hungary
6
Agrofil-SZMI Ltd., 9235 Püski, Hungary
7
HUN-REN-SZE PhatoPlant-Lab, Albert Kázmér Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences in Mosonmagyaróvár, Széchenyi István University, 9200 Mosonmagyaróvár, Hungary
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Agriculture 2026, 16(15), 1635; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture16151635
Submission received: 8 June 2026 / Revised: 27 July 2026 / Accepted: 27 July 2026 / Published: 30 July 2026
(This article belongs to the Section Crop Production)
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Abstract

The intensive use of chemical fertilisers has reduced nutrient uptake efficiency in plants, mainly due to salinisation. This effect has prompted the investigation of alternative forms of plant nutrient management. One of the promising solutions to this is the use of microbial inoculants, specifically arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and the plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR). This systematic review, conducted in accordance with PRISMA 2020 guidelines, analysed 36 peer-reviewed studies published between 2008 and 2025 across 18 countries to assess the effects of inoculation with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), both alone and in combination with plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), on maize growth, physiology, and biochemical responses. The main finding was that soil P availability was the primary factor determining whether inoculation was successful. This was especially noted in soils with soil-available P of less than 17 mg P kg−1 of soil. Soil texture and pH also played key roles in both single AMF inoculation and dual AMF-PGPR inoculation. Several studies showed that dual inoculation improved maize stress tolerance by coordinating antioxidant activity, osmotic balance, and hormonal signalling, rather than through simple additive growth effects. Overall, the findings suggest that AMF-based inoculation is most effective when applied strategically in reduced-input, phosphorus-limited, or drought-prone maize systems, rather than as a universal solution. These results support targeting inoculation toward resource-constrained systems where returns are most likely, especially P-deficient soils.
Keywords: arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi; plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria; nutrient use efficiency; inoculation; integrated nutrient management; Zea mays arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi; plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria; nutrient use efficiency; inoculation; integrated nutrient management; Zea mays

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MDPI and ACS Style

Abdinoor, J.A.; Hegedüs, G.; Awais, M.; Bede, L.; Stencinger, D.; Horváth, B.; Kulmány, J.B.; Temeltürk, B.M.; Licskai, Á.; Ambrus, H.; et al. Not a Universal Solution: A Systematic Review of Context-Dependent AMF and AMF–PGPR Effects in Maize Production. Agriculture 2026, 16, 1635. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture16151635

AMA Style

Abdinoor JA, Hegedüs G, Awais M, Bede L, Stencinger D, Horváth B, Kulmány JB, Temeltürk BM, Licskai Á, Ambrus H, et al. Not a Universal Solution: A Systematic Review of Context-Dependent AMF and AMF–PGPR Effects in Maize Production. Agriculture. 2026; 16(15):1635. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture16151635

Chicago/Turabian Style

Abdinoor, Jabir Ali, Gergő Hegedüs, Muhammad Awais, László Bede, Dávid Stencinger, Bálint Horváth, József Balázs Kulmány, Bahar Makbule Temeltürk, Áron Licskai, Helga Ambrus, and et al. 2026. "Not a Universal Solution: A Systematic Review of Context-Dependent AMF and AMF–PGPR Effects in Maize Production" Agriculture 16, no. 15: 1635. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture16151635

APA Style

Abdinoor, J. A., Hegedüs, G., Awais, M., Bede, L., Stencinger, D., Horváth, B., Kulmány, J. B., Temeltürk, B. M., Licskai, Á., Ambrus, H., Vancsura, M. M., Benedek, G., Kalocsai, R., Makkos-Káldi, J., Tóth, K. P., Zsebő, S., Drucskó, Z., Bedő, V., & Kulmány, I. M. (2026). Not a Universal Solution: A Systematic Review of Context-Dependent AMF and AMF–PGPR Effects in Maize Production. Agriculture, 16(15), 1635. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture16151635

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