Trends in Biosciences

The impact of five locally isolated mycorrhizae (Boletus edulis, Suillus granulatus, Tricholoma album, Hygrophorus camrophyllus and Scleroderma sp.) was assessed individually for mycorrhizal colonization and plant growth in blue pine (Pinus wallchiania) and deodar (Cedrus deodara). Typical ectomycorrhizae were established within 3–4 weeks of inoculation. Acid phosphatase activities of these mycorrhizae varied from 197.0 to 323.5 m moles p-nitrophenol phosphate g⁻¹. Mycorrhizal inoculation in blue pine resulted in 7–27, 2246, 16–48% increase in plant height and shoot and root biomass, respectively, in comparison to uninoculated control with maximum increase in S. granulatus inoculated plants followed by B. edulis and T. album. Highest root colonization of 36.0% was recorded in S. granulatus followed by 35.4% in B. edulis and 33.5% in T. album. In deodar seedlings, mycorrhizal inoculation caused 15–38, 21–60 and 16–48% increase in plant height and shoot and root biomass, respectively. Maximum increase was in B. edulis inoculated plants followed by S. granulatus and Scleroderma sp. inoculated plants. These fungi also exhibited mycorrhizal colonization of 22.5 to 30.5% with maximum colonization in B. edulis.