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Nitrogen and phosphorus acquisition by the mycelium of the ectomycorrhizal fungus Paxillus involutus and its effect on host nutrition
Author(s) -
BRANDES BETTINA,
GODBOLD DOUGLAS L.,
KUHN ARND J.,
JENTSCHKE GEORG
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
new phytologist
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.742
H-Index - 244
eISSN - 1469-8137
pISSN - 0028-646X
DOI - 10.1046/j.1469-8137.1998.00313.x
Subject(s) - paxillus involutus , mycelium , hypha , ectomycorrhiza , mycorrhiza , nutrient , phosphorus , botany , biology , picea abies , armillaria , dry weight , horticulture , chemistry , symbiosis , bacteria , ecology , organic chemistry , genetics
The contribution of the extramatrical mycelium to N and P nutrition of mycorrhizal Norway spruce ( Picea abies (L.) Karst.) was investigated. Seedlings either inoculated with Paxillus involutus (Batsch) Fr. or non‐mycorrhizal were grown in a two compartment sand culture system where hyphae were separated from roots by a 45 μm nylon net. Nutrient solution of the hyphal compartment contained either 1.8 m m NH 4 + and 0.18 m m H 2 PO 4 − or no N and P. Aluminium added to the hyphal compartment as a tracer of mass flow was not detected in the plant compartment, indicating that measurements of N and P transfer by the mycelium were not biased by solute movement across the nylon net. The addition of N and P to the hyphal compartment markedly increased dry weight, N and P concentration and N and P content of mycorrhizal plants. Calculating uptake from the difference in input and output of nutrient in solution confirmed a hyphal contribution of 73% and 76% to total N and P uptake, respectively. Hyphal growth was increased at the site of nutrient solution input.