The low amounts of pesticide residue may be due to several factors. This binding together, or aggregation, reduces soil compaction and allows roots, oxygen, and water to move through the soil. Mushrooms are typically associated with cool, damp, forested areas where they help to decompose fallen trees. But an ARS microbiologist found that basidiomycetes are widespread and important components of many types of soils. In open environments, the underground filaments may be plentiful without producing aboveground mushrooms, so their role is not well understood.
Basidiomycetes are the second largest group of fungi known to science.
The fungi survive with or without living plants and thrive on straw or crop residue left over after harvest. So in addition to reducing erosion, no-till practices could help improve soil quality by fostering basidiomycete populations that help to better hold soil particles together. The presence and number of these fungi may also serve as a good indicator of soil quality.