Growth response of Kail pine (Pinus wallichiana) seedlings to various ectomycorrhizal fungi

Abstract

The response of 10 locally isolated ectomycorrhizae belonging to 9 genera alongwith 2 unidentified ones was assessed in in vitro for mycorrhizal colonization and plant growth in Kail pine (Pinus wallichiana). The studies revealed that typical ectomycorrhizae were established on inoculated plants within 3-4 weeks of inoculation. Maximum plant height and better mycorrhizal root colonization was noticed by Pisolithus tinctorius followed by Hebeloma crustuliniforme and Suillus sp. isolate 2. Maximum shoot and root dry weight of 265.0 and 36.5 mg plant-1 was recorded in P. tinctorius inoculated plants followed by H. crustuliniforme (229.3 and 29.8 mg), Suillus sp. isolate 2 (199.0 and 25.5 mg) and M-G1 (180.7 and 22.9 mg). The acid phosphatase activity of the isolates tested ranged from 140 to 330 m moles ρ nitrophenol phosphate g-1 with highest activity by P. tinctorius and lowest activity by Cenococcum granifrome.

Ectomycorrhizas of Rhizopogon himalayensis on Cedrus deodara

“…Thereafter several studies have observed EcM association with this tree species [21,[61][62][63][64][65][66][67][68][69][70][71][72][73]. Moreover, many researchers have successfully synthesized Rhizopogon ectomycorrhizae with several conifer species under laboratory conditions [25,[74][75][76][77][78][79][80][81][82][83], beside this, the seedlings of C. deodara have been inoculated with pure cultures of several EcM fungi other than Rhizopogon sp [84][85][86][87]. However, there have been relatively very few studies confirming in vitro synthesis between R. himalayensis and C. deodara seedlings [25,83] and needs more research to characterize this association with the roots C. deodara growing in pure forests.…”