Host Range of a Select Isolate of the Ericoid Mycorrhizal Fungus Hymenoscyphus ericae

Abstract

Studies were conducted to examine the hostrange 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., Pieris floribunda (Pursh) Benth. & Hook., Rhododendron calendulaceum (Michx.) Torr., Rhododendron carolinianum Rehd., Rhododendron catawbiense Michx., Rhododendron maximum L., Rhododendron mucronulatum Turcz., 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.