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Methods to control ectomycorrhizal colonization: effectiveness of chemical and physical barriers

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Abstract

We conducted greenhouse experiments using Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii var. glauca) seedlings where chemical methods (fungicides) were used to prevent ectomycorrhizal colonization of single seedlings or physical methods (mesh barriers) were used to prevent formation of mycorrhizal connections between neighboring seedlings. These methods were chosen for their ease of application in the field. We applied the fungicides, Topas® (nonspecific) and Senator® (ascomycete specific), separately and in combination at different concentrations and application frequencies to seedlings grown in unsterilized forest soils. Additionally, we assessed the ability of hyphae to penetrate mesh barriers of various pore sizes (0.2, 1, 20, and 500 μm) to form mycorrhizas on roots of neighboring seedlings. Ectomycorrhizal colonization was reduced by approximately 55% with the application of Topas® at 0.5 g l−1. Meshes with pore sizes of 0.2 and 1 μm were effective in preventing the formation of mycorrhizas via hyphal growth across the mesh barriers. Hence, meshes in this range of pore sizes could also be used to prevent the formation of common mycorrhizal networks in the field. Depending on the ecological question of interest, Topas® or the employment of mesh with pore sizes <1 μm are suitable for restricting mycorrhization in the field.

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Acknowledgement

We are grateful to Graeme Hope and Shannon Berch for their aid at the early stages of the field work. We thank Peter McAuliffe, Jon Millar, Dave Enns, and Mike Carlson for their valuable insight at the beginning of the greenhouse work. We also thank Candis Staley, Amanda Schoonmaker, and Lenka Kudrna, for assistance with applying the fungicide treatments, morphotyping, and the molecular analysis, respectively. Tony Kozak and Wendy Bergerud provided useful insights on the data analysis. Funding was provided by a Forest Science Program of Forest Investment Innovation of British Columbia grant to S. Simard, a Fonds Québécois de la Recherche sur la Nature et les Technologies scholarship to J. Karst, a Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada Discovery Grant to M. Jones, and the Canadian Foundation for Innovation grants to S. Simard and D. Durall.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Forest Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, B.C., V6T 1Z4, Canada

    François P. Teste & Suzanne W. Simard

  2. Department of Botany, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, B.C., V6T 1Z4, Canada

    Justine Karst

  3. Biology and Physical Geography Unit, University of British Columbia Okanagan, 3333 University Way, Kelowna, B.C., V1V 1V7, Canada

    Melanie D. Jones & Daniel M. Durall

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  1. François P. Teste
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  2. Justine Karst
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  3. Melanie D. Jones
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  4. Suzanne W. Simard
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  5. Daniel M. Durall
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Correspondence to François P. Teste.

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François P. Teste and Justine Karst contributed equally to this work.

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Teste, F.P., Karst, J., Jones, M.D. et al. Methods to control ectomycorrhizal colonization: effectiveness of chemical and physical barriers. Mycorrhiza 17, 51–65 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00572-006-0083-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00572-006-0083-4

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