Field Transplants

Cultures from Transplant of Field Plants

For some research projects, special consideration is given to maintaining the same association between fungi and their host in the greenhouse as in the field. One way to do this is to sample intact plants from a suitable field site and transplant each into pots. These plants would be grown for at least 3-4 months before collecting a sample to assess sporulation.

If the goal is to increase sporulation of all the fungi associated with the transplant, then a mycotropic host (e.g. C4 grass such as sudangrass, big bluestem) can be seeded around the transplant after it has grown in the greenhouse for at least 30 days. The pot then would be maintained for at least three more months before harvesting.

Reference

• Bever, J. D., Morton, J. B., Antonovics, J., & Schultz, P. A. 1996. Host-dependent sporulation and species diversity of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in a mown grassland. Journal of Ecology. 84: 71-82.