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Submitted to: Australian Blueberry Grower
Publication Type: Trade Journal Publication Acceptance Date: 9/1/2005 Publication Date: 10/4/2005 Citation: Scagel, C.F. 2005. Update - looking for mycorrhizal fungi on blueberries in Australia. Australian Blueberry Grower. 15: 21-22. Interpretive Summary: Technical Abstract: Blueberry form specific associations with ericoid mycorrhizal fungi (EMF), yet there is almost no information concerning how these fungi influence the physiology of their host plants in horticultural production systems.Although the importance of EMF has been documented in a few natural ecosystems, their role in horticultural production systems for ericaceous plants in the United States and Australia has not been well studied. This report describes the preliminary results from cooperative work between the USDA-ARS and researchers at the University of Melbourne to determine (1) what fungi are present on the root systems of blueberry in Australia and (2) compare the diversity and attributes of EMF from blueberry in Australia and the United States. By comparing DNA from fungi isolated from roots we have found that many fungi from roots of blueberry in Australia are similar to fungi commonly found in blueberry roots from North America. However, we have found other fungi that are not similar to those described from roots of blueberry grown in North America. Preliminary trials to establish symbiotic associations between these fungi and tissue culture blueberry plantlets have suggested that the Australian fungi that are least similar to reported North American fungi are better colonizers of bluebery roots. This work will increase our understanding of the role that these fungi play in blueberry production in both countries and will be used to develop future studies to evaluate the function or role of EMF as it relates to productivity and production practices of Vaccinium. |
