Molecular identification of ectomycorrhizas associated with ponderosa pine seedlings in Patagonian nurseries (Argentina)

BARROETAVEÑA CAROLINA; PILDAIN MARÍA BELÉN; SALGADO SALOMÓN MARÍA EUGENIA; EBERHART JOYCE

CANADIAN JOURNAL OF FOREST RESEARCH

NATL RESEARCH COUNCIL CANADA-N R C RESEARCH PRESS

Año: 2010 vol. 40 p. 1940 - 1950

0045-5067

Ponderosa pine, an ectomycorrhiza dependent species, is the most commonly planted introduced tree in the Patagonian Andes of Argentina. Several publications have reported ectomycorrhizal fungus (EMF) richness of Ponderosa pine from this region based on morphotypes or sporocarps, but molecular identification of ectomycorrhizal (EM) root tips has not yet been carried out. This study used morphotyping, restriction analysis (RFLP) and internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequencing of EM root tips from ponderosa pine seedlings in two nurseries of Patagonia to assess the complete EMF richness, to confirm doubtful identities of commonly reported morphotypes, and to evaluate the efficiency of morphotyping compared with molecular analysis. ITS sequencing revealed the presence of 11 taxa. Basidiomycetes included Thelephoraceae (Tomentella sp.), Atheliaceae (Amphinema byssoides), Hydnangiaceae (Laccaria sp.), Rhizopogonaceae (Rhizopogon roseolus), and Cortinariaceae (Hebeloma mesopheum). Ascomycetes included Pezizaceae (Wilcoxina mikolae, and Wilcoxina sp.) and Tuberaceae (Tuber sp.) and the non EM taxa Cylindrocarpon sp. (Nectriaceae) and Peziza ostracoderma (Pezizaceae). Morphotyping proved to be useful for certain EMF species (R. roseolus, H. mesophaeum, A. byssoides and to a lesser extent Tuber sp.), in which some morphological features are conspicuous and unique. Our detection of Wilcoxina mikolae and Wilcoxina sp. are new records for Ponderosa pine in Patagonia.