Studies were conducted to examine the host range of a select isolate of the ericoid mycorrhizal fungus Hymenoscyphus ericae (Read) Korf and Kernan [American Type Culture Collection (ATCC) #32985]. Host status was tested for 15 ericaceous species, including: Calluna vulgaris (L.) Hull, Enkianthus campanulatus (Miq.) Nichols, Gaultheria procumbens L., Kalmia latifolia L., Leucothoe fontanesiana Sleum., Oxydendrum arboreum (L.) DC.,Pierisfloribunda (Pursh) Benth. & Hook.,Rhododendron calendulaceum (Michx.) Torr.,Rhododendron carolinianum Rehd., Rhododendron catawbiense Michx., Rhododendron maximum L., Rhododendron mucronulatumTurcz., Vaccinium corymbosum L., and Vaccinium macrocarpon Ait. Arbutus unedo L., an ericaceous species that forms arbutoid, not ericoid, mycorrhizae, was used as a negative control. All of the species were colonized by the ericoid isolate with the exception of Enkianthus campanulatus and the negative control. Inoculation with this isolate of H. ericae resulted in a significant increase in shoot growth. However, intensity of root colonization was not correlated to amount of shoot growth. In fact, an increase in growth was observed in the two species that lacked fungal colonization.

Pieris floribunda (Pursh) Benth. & Hook., a known host of ericoid fungi, was used as a model plant to investigate the presence of ericoid mycorrhizal fungi in select peat and peat-based products. After growing in each medium for 75 days, roots of seedlings were examined and average percent colonization was determined for each sample. Results indicate that these fungi are present in the majority of peat and peat-based media tested. Seedlings grown in some of the selected media had a greater percentage of root cells colonized by ericoid mycorrhizae than others in the study.

Studies were conducted to examine the host range of a select isolate of the ericoid mycorrhizal fungus, Hymenoscyphus ericae (Read) Korf and Kernan [American Type Culture Collection (ATCC) #32985]. Host status was tested for 15 ericaceous species, including Calluna vulgaris, Enkianthus campanulatus, Gaultheria procumbens, Kalmia latifolia, Leucothoe fontanesiana, Oxydendrum arboreum, Pieris floribunda, Rhododendron calendulaceum, Rhododendron carolinianum, Rhododendron catawbiense, Rhododendron maximum, Rhododendron mucronulatum, Vaccinium corymbosum, and Vaccinium macrocarpon. Arbutus unedo, an ericaceous species that forms arbutoid, not ericoid, mycorrhizae was used as a negative control. All of the species were colonized by the ericoid isolate with the exception of Enkianthus campanulatus and the negative control. The benefits of the association and possible commercial applications are discussed.