MOLECULAR DIVERSITY OF ERICOID MYCORRHIZAL ENDOPHYTES ISOLATED FROM WOOLLSIA-PUNGENS

One hundred and sixty-eight sterile endophytic mycelia were isolated f rom roots of four Woollsia pungens (Cav.) F. Muell. (Epacridaceae) pla nts collected from a field site in New South Wales, Australia. All iso lates formed typical ericoid mycorrhizal structures when inoculated on to roots of Vaccinium macrocarpon Ait. (Ericaceae). Microsatellite-pri med PCR fingerprints generated using the primers (GTG)(5) and (GACA)(4 ) indicated that considerable genetic diversity exists within the endo phyte population. It was estimated that a minimum of 43 genetically di stinct mycelial genets were present in the root systems of the sampled W. pungens population, with most genets confined to individual plants . Two genets, however, were present within the root systems of two adj acent plants. While most genets were represented by less than eight is olates, three genets contained up to 41 isolates, suggesting that root system colonization by some endophytic mycelia might be extensive.