Mycorrhizal fungi of Eucalyptus in the North Island of New Zealand

• Published in: Soil biology & biochemistry 1982, Vol.14 (2), p.133-137
• Main Authors: Chu-Chou, Myra, Grace, Lynette J.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Cortinarius; Eucalyptus; Laccaria laccata
• ISSN: 0038-0717; 1879-3428
• DOI: 10.1016/0038-0717(82)90056-6

Fungal sporocarps of Hydnangium carneum Wallr., Laccaria laccata (Scop. ex Fr.) Berk. ex Br., Scleroderma spp, Hymenogaster spp., Hysterangium spp, Cortinarius spp, etc. were found to be associated with five species of eucalypts Eucalyptus delegatensis R.T. Bak., E. regnans F. Muell., E. nitens Maiden, E.fastigata Deane et Maiden, and E. saligna Sm.) in nurseries or stands in the North Island of New Zealand. A total of 5345 mycorrhizal pieces were plated out in isolation studies. More than 47% of these pieces remained free of fungal outgrowth, 16% yielded dark sterile mycelia, 7% yielded hyaline sterile fungi, 17% produced sporing Fungi Imperfecti, 5.8% were basidiomycetous fungi identified as H. carneum, Scleroderma spp, Paxillus sp. and Hymenogaster albus (Klotzsch) Berk. et Br., and 5.9% were unidentified basidiomycetes. Mycorrhizas were synthesized on eucalypt seedlings by 12 identified basidiomycetes which form sporocarps in eucalypt stands and 12 unidentified basidiomycetes isolated from the mycorrhizas. Under the test conditions two Cortinarius spp and one unidentified basidiomycete did not form mycorrhizas. The results indicate a possible importance of H. carneum as a mycorrhizal fungus of eucalypts in the North Island of New Zealand.