IMMUNOCHEMICAL DETECTION OF ARBUSCULAR MYCORRHIZAE

The difficult systematics of the arbuscular mycorrhiza (AM) forming-fu ngi, belonging to the Glomales, can be facilitated with immunochemical methods. Polyclonal antibodies, however, are seldom able to reach bel ow the generic level. Monoclonal antibodies (mAb) have been produced w hich can differentiate AM fungal spores on the species and strain/isol ate level. Together with an improved enrichment procedure for spores a nd hyphae of AM fungi, isolation and identification of the extraradica l structures is possible with these mAb, lowering the risk of unspecif ic binding. Quantification of the data is discussed as the next step.