Arum-type of arbuscular mycorrhizae, dark septate endophytes and Olpidium spp. in fine roots of container-grown seedlings of Sorbus torminalis (Rosaceae)

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the mycorrhizal status of nursery seedlings of the wild service tree (Sorbus torminalis), which belongs to the Rosaceae family. Its mycorrhizal associations are still fragmentarily known, and data from the few existing studies indicate that it forms ectomycorrhizal symbiosis (ECM). We analyzed the degree of mycorrhizal colonization of thirty 2-year-old container-grown S. torminalis nursery seedlings, which belonged to three single-tree progenies. The roots were dominated by arbuscular mycorrhizae (AM), with the morphology of the Arum-type containing arbuscules, vesicles and hyphae; however, no ECM structures were found. The degree of root colonization of the analyzed seedlings by AM fungi was 83.6% and did not differ significantly between the three single-tree progenies. In addition to AM, structures of dark septate endophytes (0.7%) and sporangia of Olpidium spp. (1.1%) were found in wild service tree roots. In agreement with previous studies, we confirmed arbuscular mycorrhizae for S. torminalis. Moreover, this is the first report that roots of this Sorbus species show the Arum-type morphology of AM and are associated with Olpidium species.