Jwg. Cairney et al., Intraspecific variation in nitrogen source utilisation by isolates of the ericoid mycorrhizal fungus Hymenoscyphus Ericae (Read) Korf and Kernan, SOIL BIOL B, 32(8-9), 2000, pp. 1319-1322
Variation in the abilities of 35 isolates of the ericoid mycorrhizal fungal
endophyte Hymenoscyplus ericae from two held sites to utilise inorganic an
d organic nitrogen sources in axenic culture has been investigated. While m
ost isolates showed a preference for NH4+ as a sole nitrogen source, consid
erable variation was observed in the abilities of isolates to utilise amino
acids and protein (BSA). In particular, large intraspecific variation was
observed for glutamine and BSA utilisation, with some isolates thriving on
these substrates while others produced little growth. The data suggest that
individual isolates of H. ericae may vary considerably in their abilities
to supply their host plants with nitrogen from different substrates in soil
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