History and Development of Ectomycorrhizal Research in India

Abstract

This chapter attempts to trace the developments in ectomycorrhizal (ECM) research in India. The research on ECM in India was initiated at erstwhile FRI (now ICFRE) at Dehradun after independence in the late fifties by Dr. B.K. Bakshi and collaborators. They described the ECM in some important forest trees, viz., Pines, Deodar and high-altitude conifers. They isolated the mycorrhizal associates in pure culture and artificially inoculated the seedlings in a few cases. More impetus to ECM research was provided in the late seventies and early eighties from South, North and Eastern India. Natarajan, Raaman, Reddy and Mohan and their associates intensely investigated the ECM and its implications in seedling regeneration in Pinus patula and other pines. Sharma, Mishra and their students carried out similar studies on P. kesiya in the eastern Himalayas. Lakhanpal and collaborators studied the various aspects of ECM in Chir Pine, Blue Pine, Deodar, Fir, Spruce, Chilgoza Pine, Yew and apple plants in N.W. Himalaya. All these studies concerned characterization, identification, mycobiont association, physical and chemical status and artificial inoculation with selected mycobionts. Recently (2019, 2020) Atri and his students have carried out similar studies on ECM of sal trees in H.P. Tapwal and associates at HFRI, Shimla, are working on the ECM relationship of some important Himalayan forest tree species. The emphasis has gradually shifted now towards evaluation of field performance of the inoculated seedlings which is the primary aim of studies on this symbiotic association.