Production of Pinus halepensis seedlings inoculated with the edible fungus Lactarius deliciosus under nursery conditions

• Published in: New forests Vol. 38; no. 2; pp. 215 - 227
• Main Authors: Díaz, Gisela, Carrillo, Catalina, Honrubia, Mario
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Dordrecht : Springer Netherlands 01.09.2009; Springer Netherlands; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Biomedical and Life Sciences; Bioreactors; Flowers & plants; Forest management; Forestry; Fungi; Lactarius; Life Sciences; Peat; Pinus halepensis; Plant biology; Seedlings; Slurries; Sphagnum; Edible; Inoculation; Mycorrhiza
• ISSN: 0169-4286; 1573-5095
• DOI: 10.1007/s11056-009-9142-y

Inoculation with edible fungi bestows an added value on mycorrhized plants since production of mushrooms as a secondary crop can be an economically-valuable resource in forestry management. In order to establish a protocol for controlled mycorrhization of Pinus halepensis with the edible fungus Lactarius deliciosus, several factors such as fertilisation (35, 60 or 120 mg total N and 13.5, 27 or 54 mg total P), potting substrate (sphagnum peat or sphagnum peat/vermiculite) and fungal inoculum (mycelial slurry produced in a bioreactor, alginate beads or peat/vermiculite) were assessed. The most effective inoculum was mycelial slurry at a dose of 10 ml/plant. The two potting substrates assessed were compatible with mycorrhiza formation. The greatest number of mycorrhized seedlings was obtained with a moderate level of N (35 mg/plant) or P fertilisation (27 mg/plant). Inoculation did not produce a consistent growth effect on P. halepensis, but seedlings met the quality requirements, making them suitable for planting out.