A PAPER‐SANDWICH TECHNIQUE FOR RAPID SYNTHESIS OF ECTOMYCORRHIZAS

Abstract

In the basic pure‐culture technique, fungus for inoculum is grown on stiff absorbent paper card over Potato Dextrose Agar, then this paper is removed aseptically and laid, fungus‐side down, on to a two‐dimensional array of roots of seedlings grown axenically on filter paper over a mineral salts agar medium. With the high inoculum potential achieved by this technique, ectomycorrhizas have been formed within one week of inoculating Pisolithus tinctorius Coker & Couch or Paxillus involutus (Batsch. ex Fr.) Fr. on to Eucalyptus globulins Subsp. bicostata (Maid, et al.) Kirkp., and over 50% of root apices were converted to ectomycorrhizas within two weeks. The paper‐based inoculum has also been applied successfully to convert peripheral roots of seedlings grown in peat‐moss within clay pots. Copyright © 1986, Wiley Blackwell. All rights reserved