Establishment of a PCR-RFLP library for basidiomycetes, ascomycetes and their ectomycorrhizae on Picea abies (L.) Karst.

The internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions in ribosomal genes are variab le enough to distinguish most mycorrhizal and other higher fungi to the spe cies level. Polymerase chain reaction in combination with restriction fragm ent length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) can be used to establish the digestion p attern library based on fungal sporocarps. We established the digestion pat tern library for over 150 spp of mycorrhizal and nonmycorrhizal higher fung i predominantly collected in a four year period on a 1 ha permanent forest research plot of the Slovenian Forestry Institute in an autochthonous altim ontane Norway spruce forest on Pokljuka (Triglav national park, 1200m above see level). Only the problematic of genus Russula is presented here. The s ame method is being used on mycorrhizal root tips from the same plot for de termination of types of ectomycorrhizae.