North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[jhecksel@voyager.net]

Tom wrote:
>
> Is anyone aware of a means to propagate mycorrhizal fungi in a
manner that is usable for further plant innoculatons?
>
> Or could sprouts (like those sold in grocery stores) be used?  Buy
> sprouts, innoculate them with mycorrhizal fungi and plant them out.
> Keeping in mind that mycorrhizal fungi will only survive in
symbiosis with plant roots, and will be killed by manmade fertilizer.
>
<Joe writes>
Mail lists would be extremely boring if you actually had to *know*
what you were writing about.

I think the sprouts idea has much merit with one or two qualifiers.
The species most adapted to the host plant and pH and disolved
chemicals will soon dominate the culture.  This is not a bad thing if
your sprouts are the same as your host plant (grapes, for instance)
and your sprouting medium is heat sterilized soil that you wish to
innoculate.  It *is* a bad thing if you want to innoculate blueberries
in a bog and use city water, vermiculite and popcorn seeds as the
basis of your culture.  (Also consider soil temps.)

I think the commercial guys mix 5 or more species of fungi to provide
maximum adaptability in terms of species innoculated and soil
conditions.

Regarding rate of spread:  There is a fair amount of info regarding
culture of truffles on the web.  The authors identify soil fauna as
the primary movers of fungi spoor.  Many earthworms and grubs = many
moles and mice.  High rates of movement can be expected under those
conditions.  Sterile soil will have lower rates of travel.


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