In vitro ectomycorrhizal formation in Picea glehnii seedlings

Twenty isolates of ectomycorrhizal fungi – 3 from Piceaglehnii, 12 from other coniferous trees, and 5 from decidous trees – were tested for the ability to form mycorrhizae with P.glehnii, using an in vitro synthesis technique. Macroscopically, mycorrhizal formation was observed 3 months after inoculation, when the lateral roots began to grow. Mycelial growth was observed in all inoculated treatments, generally around and along the roots. Six months after inoculation, seedlings were harvested and the mycorrhizae were observed microscopically. Fourteen of the 20 isolates formed ectomycorrhizae with a dense sheath and a deep Hartig net; 1 formed ectendomycorrhizae with a rudimentary mantle, a well-developed Hartig net and intracellular hyphae; 3 formed pseudomycorrhizae with a mantle but without the Hartig net; and only 2 of the fungi tested, Chalciporuspipeparatus 5/92 and Lyophyllum sp. 61/92, did not form mycorrhizae at all. P.glehnii was a good host species since it had low specificity to ectomycorrhizal fungi isolated from trees other than P. glehnii.