Arbuscular and ectomycorrhizal fungi diversity in the Indian subcontinent

Mycorrhizal fungi (MF) are below-ground organisms playing a key role in terrestrial ecosystems as they regulate nutrient and carbon cycles, and influence soil structure and ecosystem multifunctionality. Arbuscular and ectomycorrhizal fungi are the two mycorrhizal types most relevant to worldwide ecosystems, but areas like the Indian sub-continent remain under-represented in global maps. The dataset presented here reports the available information regarding arbuscular and ectomycorrhizal fungi diversity in cultivated and natural ecosystems of the Indian subcontinent. We have selected studies published in English in ISI Web of Science during the years 2005 - 2020 that provided a taxonomic classification of MF and their associated abundance in terms of percentage of root colonization or number of spores per quantity of soil. From the screening of 74 studies, we have recorded: i. the scientific or common name of the plant or the generic habitat sampled for MF identification; ii the MF genus and species; iii. the location of the study with associated altitude and geographic coordinates; iv. main soil physico-chemical properties (soil pH, texture, organic Carbon, Total Nitrogen, available Phosphorus); climatic variables such as mean annual precipitation and temperature.