Technical Abstract: Soil borne arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungus forms a symbiotic (mutualistic) relationship with most plants. The fungus colonizes the root and grows out into the soil. Hyphae net work, the part of the fungus that's in the soil acts as an extension of the root system. The scope of the research is to determine if there is value in adding AM fungi inoculum, particularly at planting of bare root (field grown) and the potted-plant nursery stock; to determine if pre-plant fumigation impacts the extent and nature of mycorrhizal populations in the soil and is this of consequence?; and to characterize the mycorrhizal fungi populations present on field grown nursery stock vs. potted plants at the time of planting and during the first season after planting as well as resulting tree performance. Molecular technologies will be applied to details of AM fungi and the symbiosis.