Fruitbody production by sheathing mycorrhizal fungi: Effects of ‘host’ genotypes and propagating soils

Abstract The assemblages of fruitbodies produced by sheathing mycorrhizal fungi associated with clones of Betula spp. were affected by ‘host’ genotype and the origin of propagating soil during the first 6 years after transplanting into a groundwater gley with mull humus. Significantly more fruitbodies were produced when rooted cuttings were propagated in soil A than in soil B, on average 19.5 compared with 4.5 per tree. The larger numbers in soil A were associated with a preponderance of fruitbodies of Laccaria tortilis; Hebeloma spp. being relatively more abundant in soil B. Appreciably more fruitbodies were associated with clone 12.5D of B. pendula than with clone 9.3D of B. pubescens , 19.9 compared with 4.6, the difference being largely attributable to the ‘substitution’ of the prolific L. tortilis by the sparse Inocybe petiginosa . Whereas soil type had a significant effect on numbers of fruitbodies associated with the three more productive clones, it had no effect on numbers of fruitbodies associated with clone 9.3D.