Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi increased biomass, nutritional value, and cochineal resistance of Opuntia ficus-indica plants.

Background: Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Miller is dominantly growing on degraded soils in arid and semi-arid areas. The plants might establish a strong association with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) to adapt to nutrient, drought, and herbivore insect stress.