permaculture

[Lawrence London <lfljvenaura@gmail.com>]

How do mycorrhizal fungi (chanterelles, truffles, etc.) establish their
mycelia on roots? : mycology (subReddit) | http://mycorrhizas.info/
MYCORRHIZAL ASSOCIATIONS: The Web Resource

http://mycorrhizas.info/
MYCORRHIZAL ASSOCIATIONS: The Web Resource
Index

   1. Sponsors <http://mycorrhizas.info/#sponsors>
   2. Introduction <http://mycorrhizas.info/#intro>
   3. Symbiosis and Mutualism <http://mycorrhizas.info/#symb>
      1. Plant-Fungus Symbioses <http://mycorrhizas.info/#plf>
   4. Definition of Mycorrhizas <http://mycorrhizas.info/#what>
   5. Classifying Mycorrhizas <http://mycorrhizas.info/#classify>
   6. Morphology of Associations <http://mycorrhizas.info/#types>
      1. Arbuscular Mycorrhizas <http://mycorrhizas.info/#1vam>
      2. Ectomycorrhizas <http://mycorrhizas.info/#2ecm>
      3. Orchid Mycorrhizas <http://mycorrhizas.info/#3orc>
      4. Ericoid Mycorrhizas <http://mycorrhizas.info/#ericoid>
      5. Subepidermal Association <http://mycorrhizas.info/#5ths>
   7. Host plants <http://mycorrhizas.info/#host>
   8. Mycorrhizal Fungi <http://mycorrhizas.info/#fungi>
   9. Terminology <http://mycorrhizas.info/#terms>



How do mycorrhizal fungi (chanterelles, truffles, etc.) establish their
mycelia on roots? : mycology
http://www.reddit.com/r/mycology/comments/2qx799/how_do_mycorrhizal_fungi_chanterelles_truffles/

–]synergisticsymbiosis <http://www.reddit.com/user/synergisticsymbiosis> 1
point 2 minutes ago

strigolactones, yo.

I would give a more serious answer but other folks seem to have it well
covered

[–]Erinaceous <http://www.reddit.com/user/Erinaceous> 1 point 38 minutes
ago

Endomycorhizal interactions were covered a bit in my soil ecology course.
Basically the plant puts out exudates (mixes of carbs, proteins and sugars
basically cake) at the root. The endomyc mycellium gets drawn into the
plant root by all this delicious cake. The plant then grows around them
trapping them in a special root structure and then turns of the supply of
delicious cake until the endomyc brings back phosphorus, water or other
micronutrients that the plant wants at that particular time.

So based on that I would say the mycelium has to be established for the
interactions to happen since there needs to be a mycelial thread to become
trapped in the root structure and a network to feed the exchange.

Other folks probably know way more about this than I do though.

[–]fomentarius <http://www.reddit.com/user/fomentarius>Western North America 2
points 28 minutes ago

your use of the word cake makes me think that you've seen Dr. Elaine Ingham
discussing the soil food web

[–]Erinaceous <http://www.reddit.com/user/Erinaceous> 1 point 24 minutes
ago

it's a dead give away isn't it?

[–]fomentarius <http://www.reddit.com/user/fomentarius>Western North America 1
point 22 minutes ago

yup, pretty good analogy though. Makes me want a little slice o' that root
cake

[–]Mycoholic91 <http://www.reddit.com/user/Mycoholic91> 1 point 42 minutes
ago

Mycology PhD Student here!

So, there are several types of mycelial associations that occur between
fungi and plants - Ectomycorrhizal (ECM) and Endo(Arbuscular)mycorrhizae
(AM), etc. - and there is a great website for learning about these
relationships: http://mycorrhizas.info/

There are some really interesting and poorly understood concepts concerning
how the plant and fungus find each other in the soil and what initiates the
formation of mycorrhizal structures. I'm going to work up a more detailed
response for this part, however it's going to take a bit of time - being
that it's new years eve and I won't be sitting in front of my computer much
longer.

Happy New Year!

[–]tiltajoel <http://www.reddit.com/user/tiltajoel> 1 point 58 minutes ago

A spore germinates in close proximity to, or directly on, the roots and
hyphae begin growing?

[–]zenmaintenance <http://www.reddit.com/user/zenmaintenance>[S
<http://www.reddit.com/r/mycology/comments/2qx799/how_do_mycorrhizal_fungi_chanterelles_truffles/>
] 1 point 49 minutes ago

That's what I thought. That must mean that the mycelium of a mycorrhizal
fungus has to be inoculated underground, right? If I have some mycorrhizal
partner of, say, truffles, and I inject a truffle mycelium directly onto
the partner's roots, then I would think I ought to be able to expect the
mycelium to grow (and fruiting bodies too, of course). Or..?

[–]zenmaintenance <http://www.reddit.com/user/zenmaintenance>[S
<http://www.reddit.com/r/mycology/comments/2qx799/how_do_mycorrhizal_fungi_chanterelles_truffles/>
] 1 point 43 minutes ago

Or is it impossible to create a liquid culture of mycelium without a
preestablished mycorrhizal connection to a host tree?

[–]zenmaintenance <http://www.reddit.com/user/zenmaintenance>[S
<http://www.reddit.com/r/mycology/comments/2qx799/how_do_mycorrhizal_fungi_chanterelles_truffles/>
] 2 points an hour ago

I want to cultivate fungi, and specifically attempt to cultivate mushrooms
that are mycorrhizal, and edible. I'm wondering if it is possible to just
grow the mycelium in a liquid substrate, then inject it (syringe?)
underground onto the roots, where it would take (and hopefully grow). I
don't know how much research has been done, though...

[–]moreldilemma <http://www.reddit.com/user/moreldilemma> 1 point 2 minutes
ago

Get the book "Mycelium Running" by Paul Stamets. He has a few different
methods of inoculation.

Of course, if it were easy people would be doing it and making a bunch of
money.

But there's this guy locally who has been pouring his Chanterelle cleaning
water on the oaks behind his house. After about 10 years he started to see
chanterelles pop up. Now he gets massive yields in his back yard.

[–]fomentarius <http://www.reddit.com/user/fomentarius>Western North America 2
points 38 minutes ago*

That's an interesting thought. You may also try a spore slurry. Using the
spores increases the potential genetic diversity and may yield an organism
suited to the environment that you're introducing them to while the
mycelium will have only the relatively narrow band of genetics provided by
the mating types that yielded it.

As I understand it, there's not a ton of success in controlled cultivation
of edible mycorrhizal fungi (compared to things like agaricus or oysters)
but more of an introduce-the-potential-and-hope-that-something-fruits
tactic. Things like planting saplings in close proximity to known symbionts
of the desired species in hopes that the existing mycelium will associate
with the sapling. The sapling can then be transplanted, hopefully taking
some of the fungi with it.

edit- some words and a reference
<http://it.amycoforest.eu/sites/default/files/Hall%20al%202003%20Cultivation%20mushrooms.pdf>

[–]zenmaintenance <http://www.reddit.com/user/zenmaintenance>[S
<http://www.reddit.com/r/mycology/comments/2qx799/how_do_mycorrhizal_fungi_chanterelles_truffles/>
] 1 point 9 minutes ago

It says the reference link "may have been moved or deleted." Any other refs?

[–]MycTyson <http://www.reddit.com/user/MycTyson>Eastern North America 4
points an hour ago

I've been reading and rereading the wiki, I learned so much today. I
understand this doesn't answer OP's question, but while researching I found
this fascinating :

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mycorrhiza

Recent research with ectomycorrhizal in boreal forests, has indicated
mycorrhizae and plants have a relationship that may be more complex than
simply mutualistic. *This relationship was noted when mycorrhizae were
unexpectedly found hoarding nitrogen from plant roots in times of nitrogen
scarcity. Researchers argue that some mycorrhizae distribute nutrients
based upon the environment with surrounding plants and other mycorrhizae,
in a manner similar to a capitalistic market.* Researchers go on to explain
how this updated model explains why mycorrhizae do not alleviate plant
nitrogen limitation, and why plants can switch abruptly from a mixed
strategy with both mycorrhizal and nonmycorrhizal roots to a purely
mycorrhizal strategy as soil nitrogen availability declines.

 [–]cupajaffer <http://www.reddit.com/user/cupajaffer> 2 points an hour ago

I am completely mind blown that this happens under our feet every day and
we are just learning about it.

[–]armchairepicure <http://www.reddit.com/user/armchairepicure>Eastern
North America[M <http://www.reddit.com/r/mycology/about/moderators>] 4
points 2 hours ago

Hopefully, one of my colleagues will make it into this thread and answer
this questions thoroughly. But if it doesn't happen, I will make an effort
to post a 101 on this topic this weekend (versus New Year's Eve day, which
is quite hectic).