Effects of four bolete species on ectomycorrhizae formation and development in Pinus thunbergii and Quercus acutissima.

BACKGROUND: Bolete cultivation is economically and ecologically valuable. Ectomycorrhizae are advantageous for plant development and productivity. This study investigated how boletes affect the formation of Pinus thunbergii and Quercus acutissima ectomycorrhizae using greenhouse-based mycorrhizal experiments, inoculating P. thunbergii and Q. acutissima with four species of boletes (Suillus bovinus, Suillus luteus, Suillus grevillei, and Retiboletus sinensis). RESULTS: Three months after inoculation, morphological and molecular analyses identified S. bovinus, S. luteus, S. grevillei and R. sinensis ectomycorrhizae formation on the roots of both tree species. The mycorrhizal infection rate ranged from 40 to 55%. The host plant species determined the mycorrhiza morphology, which was independent of the bolete species. Differences in plant growth, photosynthesis, and endogenous hormone secretion primarily correlated with the host plant species. Infection with all four bolete species significantly promoted the host plants' growth and photosynthesis rates; indole-3-acetic acid, zeatin, and gibberellic acid secretion increased, and the abscisic acid level significantly decreased. Indole-3-acetic acid was also detected in the fermentation broths of all bolete species. CONCLUSIONS: Inoculation with bolete and subsequent mycorrhizae formation significantly altered the morphology and hormone content in the host seedlings, indicating growth promotion. These findings have practical implications for culturing pine and oak tree species.

Oyster Mushroom Spherical Virus Crosses the Species Barrier and Is Pathogenic to a New Host Pleurotus pulmonarius.

Oyster mushroom spherical virus (OMSV) is a mycovirus with a positive-sense single-stranded RNA genome that infects the edible mushroom Pleurotus ostreatus. OMSV is horizontally transferred from an infected strain to a cured strain via mycelia. The infection results in significant inhibition of mycelial growth, malformation of fruiting bodies, and yield loss in oyster mushrooms. This study successfully transferred OMSV from P. ostreatus to Pleurotus pulmonarius. However, transmission was not successful in other Pleurotus species including P. citrinopileatus, P. eryngii, P. nebrodensis, and P. salmoneostramineus. The successful OMSV infection in P. pulmonarius was further verified with Western blot analysis using a newly prepared polyclonal antiserum against the OMSV coat protein. Furthermore, OMSV infection reduced the mycelial growth rate of P. pulmonarius. The OMSV-infected strain demonstrated abnormal performance including twisted mushrooms or irregular edge of the cap as well as reduced yield of fruiting bodies in P. pulmonarius, compared to the OMSV-free strain. This study is the first report on the infection and pathogenicity of OMSV to the new host P. pulmonarius. The data from this study therefore suggest that OMSV is a potential threat to P. pulmonarius.