Analysis of patents on arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and plant symbiosis plays a key role in improving plant resistance and disease resistance, and maintaining plant health. Their applications in agriculture, forestry and ecological environment have received widespread attention. Based on the incoPat, a technology innovation information platform, retrievals were made of output of patents on AMF at home and abroad before 2019, for analysis of number of applications, technology composition, major applicants, etc. of the patents, in an attempt to reveal R&D status, technology development trends and industry-university-research cooperation in the field of AMF. In recent years, the number of patents has been increasing significantly in China. AMF propagation techniques have been continuously strengthened. Application fields of AMF have extended from agriculture to soil pollution remediation. Testing and research methods are being developed in combination with emerging technologies such as modern information technology, and integration of AMF commercialization and application is fully considered in the new R&D. At present, most of the patent applicants in this aspect in China are from universities and scientific research institutions, fewer from enterprises. AMF strain propagation and application in pollution remediation have become a focus. Novel technological achieved in the fields of biology and information science are being introduced into the development of AMF detection technology. In China, the industry-university-research cooperation in this field needs to be strengthened urgently.