Geographic Breadth of Stocks

Approximately 95% of the accessions in INVAM are stored as dried inoculum or are actively growing pot cultures. About 70% of the stocks that had been cryopreserved by INVAM-Florida were revived, with only about 60% of them being viable. The remaining stocks are stored at -150oC. At present, stocks are recultured after 9 months to 1.5 years of storage (Shortest = Gigaspora species, large dark-spore species in other genera of Gigasporaceae, and some large-spored glomoid species. Longest = smaller-spored glomoid species and all except the largest-spored Acaulospora species).

We routinely store more than 600 liters of dried inoculum at 4-8oC for stocks of temperate origin and at 22oC for stocks of tropical origin. Generally, there are between 300 and 400 cultures actively growing at any given time in a greenhouse and growth room. Geographically, accessions in INVAM are dominated by those from North and South America (see table below). Stocks originate from diverse habitats that include: (i) natural communities from arctic and boreal regions, deserts, salt marshes, wetlands, temperate and tropical grasslands, tropical and temperate forests, sand dunes, and disturbed minesoils, (ii) croplands, (iii) pastures, (iv) orchards and (v) nurseries. Table below reflects geographic breadth of cultures available for purchase.