CALCIUM LOCALIZATION IN WALLS OF TUBER-MELANOSPORUM ASSOCIATED WITH CORYLUS-AVELLANA - ADVANTAGES AND LIMITS OF DIFFERENT TECHNIQUES

Calcium contributes to a large extent to the maintenance of fungal and plant cell structures. In the symbiotic association between Corylus a vellana and Tuber melanosporum, this inorganic element is particularly important because it is indispensable for fungal development. Differe nt analytical techniques are used in order to localize calcium precise ly: Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy (STEM) equipped both with an Energy Dispersive Spectromete r (EDS) for X-Ray analysis, and Secondary Ion Mass Spectroscopy (SIMS) , also known as ionic microscopy. While these techniques are useful in dividually, they are even more so when utilized together.