PHOSPHODIESTERS AS MYCORRHIZAL-P SOURCES .2. ERICOID MYCORRHIZA AND THE UTILIZATION OF NUCLEI AS A PHOSPHORUS AND NITROGEN-SOURCE BY VACCINIUM-MACROCARPON

Mycorrhizal plants of Vaccinium macrocarpon Aiton used nuclei from sal mon sperm as a sole source of phosphorus (P) and achieved similar yiel ds, P content and P concentration to plants grown with orthophosphate. Mycorrhizal infection significantly increased the effectiveness of ut ilization of both inorganic and organic (nuclei) sources of P by Vacci nium but in the case of the organic source this involved providing acc ess to P which was completely unavailable to the uninfected plants. Th e results provide further support for the view that ericoid mycorrhiza s have a crucial role in direct recycling of nutrients from organic ma tter, independent of the mineralizing activities of saprotrophic micro -organisms.