Aj. Perkins et al., SPECIFICITY OF THE ASSOCIATIONS BETWEEN MICROTIS-PARVIFLORA (ORCHIDACEAE) AND ITS MYCORRHIZAL FUNGI, Australian Journal of Botany, 43(1), 1995, pp. 85-91
The specificity between Microtis parviflora R.Br. and its mycorrhizal
associates was examined in situ and in vitro. Two fungi, Epulorhiza re
pens (Bernard) Moore and Epulorhiza sp. Moore (synonym Rhizoctonia glo
bularis), were isolated from the roots and protocorms of the orchid fr
om the field. In the laboratory, these fungi and three others that for
m mycorrhizae with other orchids and two others that are saprophytes,
initiated mycorrhizae with M. parviflora. Two pathogenic isolates of R
hizoctonia solani Kuehn killed the germinating seeds. The addition of
sucrose to the germination media increased growth and rate of developm
ent of seedlings.