Abstract
Pine mushroom (Tricholoma matsutake) is one of the most valued ectomycorrhizal fungi in Asia because of its unique pine-like aroma; however, due to exceptionally slow growth of its mycelia in artificial conditions, its cultivation has been largely deemed as not possible. Previous studies have shown that some bacteria and a few Trichoderma species associated with pine mushroom promoted the growth of T. matsutake isolate, but this effect is relatively unexplored. In this study, we investigated the diversity of microfungi in the fairy ring of T. matsutake and their effect on the growth of T. matsutake isolate. From 184 fungal isolates, 28 species were identified based on suitable molecular markers. Penicillium was most frequently observed (16 species), followed by Trichoderma (4 species). Five Zygomycota species showed a high promoting effect on the growth of T. matsutake while the effects of ascomycetes were mixed. The microfungi that promote the growth of T. matsutake can be useful for forest nursery and artificial cultivation of T. matsutake.
Highlights
Ectomycorrhizal fungi (EMF) play a crucial role in plant development and the nutrient cycle of the forest ecosystem [1,2]
We showed that several bacterial species isolated from PM fairy rings are able to promote PM mycelial growth [30,31]
A total of 184 fungal isolates were obtained from soil within PM fairy rings at four sampling locations
Summary
Ectomycorrhizal fungi (EMF) play a crucial role in plant development and the nutrient cycle of the forest ecosystem [1,2]. Recent studies have shown that microorganisms co-existing with EMF (e.g., mycorrhiza helper bacteria (MHB)) facilitate mycorrhizal formation [5]. These microorganisms promote the mycelial growth of EMF in order to prepare the fungi for mycorrhizal colonization [5] and to increase the nutrient foraging ability of EMF, making them an attractive symbiotic partner [6,7]. Microfungi were found in various structures of EMF such as ectomycorrhizae [8,9], hyphae [10], and fruiting bodies [11,12]. Microfungi suppress ectomycorrhizal colonization, hyphal growth, and spore germination of EMF [15]. About the positive effect of microfungi on ectomycorrhizal development [19,20]
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