Vesicular mycorrhizal colonization of seedlings of Pinaceae and Betulaceae after spore inoculation with Glomus intraradices

Abstract

 Although Pinaceae and Betulaceae have been reported to contain Glomus–type root endophytes, its ecological importance and the conditions influencing this symbiosis are poorly understood. Seedlings of Abies lasiocarpa, Alnus rubra, Pinus contorta, Pinus ponderosa, Pseudotsuga menziesii, and Tsuga heterophylla were inoculated with Glomus intraradices to determine the vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizae (VAM) development and responsiveness of these hosts. The role of companion VAM host plants on mycorrhizal colonization and nutrient uptake by Pseudotsuga menziesii was also examined by growing seedlings of Pseudotsuga menziesii in dual culture with VAM hosts Thuja plicata or Calamagrostis rubescens. After 8 weeks, no seedlings were colonized. At 16 weeks, 8 of 17 Thuja plicata seedlings grown with Pseudotsuga menziesii and all 18 inoculated Thuja plicata seedlings grown alone were colonized with vesicles and hyphae. Two of 17 inoculated Pseudotsuga menziesii seedlings grown in dual culture with Thuja plicata were colonized with abundant vesicles and hyphae. No ectomycorrhizal seedlings grown in monoculture were colonized. At 9 months, all 10 Calamagrostis rubescens and all 10 inoculated Pseudotsuga menziesii seedlings grown in dual culture were colonized by vesicles and hyphae. Two of 10 inoculated Pseudotsuga menziesiiand 1 of 10 inoculated Pinus ponderosa seedlings grown in monoculture were similarly colonized. The mean phosphorus content in the needles of colonized Pseudotsuga menziesii seedlings grown with Calamagrostis rubescens was about twice as high as in noncolonized Pseudotsuga menziesiiseedlings grown with Calamagrostis rubescens. Tissue nitrogen did not differ between these treatments. The results show that Glomus intraradices colonization of Pinaceae is most successful when a VAM host is present, although some vesicular colonization of Pinaceae occurred in the absence of a VAM host.