Effect of electric impulse on sporocarp formation of ectomycorrhizal fungusLaccaria laccata in Japanese red pine plantation
We examined the effect of electric impulses on sporocarp formations of ectomycorrhizal fungus in a Japanese red pine (Pinus densiflora) plantation.Laccaria laccata was the dominant species in this study plantation. Spatial distribution concentrated in the electric impulse treatment zone, and recorded a markedly larger number of sporocarps compared with untreated control plots. The effect of electric impulses was also recognized onL. laccata fruiting with a mycorrhizal sapling in a pot. Sporocarp production ofL. laccata was strongly promoted by the electric impulse in experiments bothin vivo natural plantation stands andin vitro pot saplings. Our work indicates the possibility of enhancement of sporocarp production of the mycorrhizal fungi with electric impulses in the nursery and plantation.
Development of ectomycorrhizae following inoculation of containerized Sitka and white spruce seedlings
Containerized Sitka (Piceasitchensis (Bong.) Carr.) and white spruce (P. glauca (Moench) Voss) were inoculated at sowing with mycelial cultures of ectomycorrhizal fungi. The seedlings were grown in 66-cm3 cells for 6 months. Sitka spruce inoculated at Corvallis, OR, with Hebelomacrustuliniforme (Bull, ex St. Amans) Quel, Amanitamuscaria (L. ex Fr.) Pers. ex Hooker, or Laccarialaccata (Scop, ex Fr.) Berk and Br. had, respectively, 94, 92, and 99% of their short roots mycorrhizal. Seedlings colonized by A. muscaria were similar in size to uninoculated controls; those colonized by H. crustuliniforme or L. laccata were significantly smaller. Tricholomapessundatum (Fr.) Quel, sparsely colonized 10–25% of the Sitka spruce inoculated at Corvallis. At Petersburg, AK, 93% of the Sitka spruce inoculated with H. crustuliniforme were colonized with 69% of their short roots forming mycorrhizae. Colonized seedlings were similar in size to controls, except for a significantly greater (P < 0.05) shoot/root ratio and foli...
Ectomycorrhizal fungi of Larix laricina and the interspecific and intraspecific variation in response to temperature
The ability of tamarack to form ectomycorrhizae with different fungi was investigated by using a pouch technique. Ninety-one out of 109 fungal isolates from 25 different species formed ectomycorrhizae on larch seedlings. Tamarack displays strong specificity for ectomycorrhizal fungi identified as sporocarp-specific to larch under field conditions: Suillus grevillei, S. cavipes. Fuscoboletinus aeruginascens, F. spectabilis, F. paluster, and F. grisellus. These fungal species induced more rapid and extensive ectomycorrhizal development in growth pouches than the other less specialized fungi. Radial growth rates on Petri dishes of isolates of these six bolete species were observed at 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 °C, to study interspecific and intraspecific variation. The results demonstrated strong intraspecific variations and suggest a great genetic variability of the physiological activity within ectomycorrhizal species. Interspecific comparisons, however, revealed that some species possessed characteristic beha...