Opportunities Down Under – How M hi l F i C B fi NMycorrhizal Fungi Can Benefit Nursery

Propagation and Production Systems

Fred Davies

Dept. of Horticultural SciencesTexas A&M UniversityCollege Station, Texas

Mycorrhiza — "fungus root"

The symbiotic association between specific fungiThe symbiotic association between specific fungi with the fine roots of higher plants.

The majority of plants, strictly speaking, do not j y p , y p g,have roots; they have mycorrhizae.

Endomycorrhizal plants: Herbaceous plants, shrubs, many ornamental, fruitHerbaceous plants, shrubs, many ornamental, fruit and nut trees, vegetable and agronomic crops, turf grassesgrasses

Ectomycorrhizal plants:Ectomycorrhizal plants: Conifers, pines, hardwoods such as beech, birch, eucalyptus fir oak willow magnoliaeucalyptus, fir, oak, willow, magnolia

Arbuscular Mycorrhiza

Field Production of Landscape RosesField Production of Landscape Roses

Ectomycorrhiza

Sophora secundiflora Texas Mountain Laurel

Rhizobium, N-fixer

AMF

EctosEctos

Texas Lignite Coal Industry g y

Drag Line Coal Seam

Disturbed SiteDisturbed SiteNon-AM +AM

AMF Plants have:

• Greater Extraradical Hyphae formationGreater Extraradical Hyphae formation

• Greater Soil Aggregation

•Improved Soil Tilth•Glomalin – hydrophobic

protein

AMF Enhancement of Drought Stress-Bell Pepper

AMF Peppers have:ppLeaf Chlorophyll

Stomatal ConductancePhotosynthesisOsmotic AdjustmentjFaster Drought Recovery

Phosphorus & plant size not the limiting factorthe limiting factor

Ipomoea carnea subsp. fistulosa - Bush Morning Glory

•High Production Temperature Container Temps 113° F / 44.8° C•Endos: Bioterra-Plus, MycorisePro•OSRF – Nitrell 5-3-4, ICRF – Osmocote 18-7-10

Growth greatest – B-P @ 50% & 100% ICRFg @– MycoPro @ 100% ICRF

AMF + ICRF > AMF + OSRFAMF + ICRF > AMF + OSRFAMF + 50% ICRF ≅ AMF + 100% OSRF or AMF + 50% ICRF

(Carpio, Davies, Arnold, 2005)

Advantages in Utilizing Mycorrhizal Nursery Plantsg g y y

P d i l d i d i &Produce more stress resistant plants during production &

for landscape.

Potentially less pesticide usage.

More drought and nutrient tolerant plants in landscape.

Potentially higher transplanting success & fasterPotentially higher transplanting success & faster establishment.

V l Add d M k i hi h l i blValue Added: Marketing higher-value, sustainablelandscape plants.

Mycorrhizal Effects on Rooting of Cuttingsy g g

•Bearberry (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi): increased percentage of rooted cuttings and root volumes with 13 different ectomycorrhize, i.e. Thelephora, Pisolithus, Hebeloma, T i h lTricholoma.

•Umbrella pine (Sciadopitys verticillata): increased survival, callus development and

i i h h d hirooting percentage with the endomycorrhizae Glomus intraradix. (Plus Auxin – IBA)

•Arrowwood Viburnum (Viburnum dentatum): increased number of root initials and root freshweight with the endomycorrhizae Glomusfascicultum.

•Black spruce (Picea mariana): increased rootingpercentage, number of roots and root length with thep g , gectomycorrhizae Laccaria bicolor and Suillus cavipes

HOW TO APPLY MYCORRHIZAHOW TO APPLY MYCORRHIZA

A b d d l f li l i d tAs a banded layer of spores, mycelium, colonized roots in the container media.

I h dibbl h l f h i i i ki hIn the dibble hole of the container prior to sticking the liner. (It is ideal to let the new roots grow into the mycorrhiza)mycorrhiza).

Gel/liquid drench system.

Injected or mixed with backfill.

Endos and Ecto mycorrhiza can be incorporated with y ppelleted seed.

Most Efficient Time to Apply Mycorrhiza

Propagation

Liner production

200 varieties-oaks, hickories, hardwoods, natives

RPM: use superior seed stock, air‐rootpruning, special nutrition and soil, timing

Plants stepped‐up 3‐times‐ from seed pp pprop flats, square band flat pot system – final container

At 210 days, well‐established RPM root mass (left) and that of a traditionally  produced seedling 

Mycorrhizal ROOTS

An injectable form containing 17 species of  endo‐ and ectomycorrhizae & ybiostimulant. 

Use 16 oz /100 gal DrenchesUse 16 oz./100 gal.  Drenches seed flats

Prop media ‐ bark‐rice hulls‐sand

50,000 seedlings in 30 x 96 ft quonset house )quonset house )

2nd application at shifting –up2 application at shifting  up seedling  transplants  to final container production 

2000+ varieties

Monrovia is the Largest Grower to Inoculate All its Plants with Beneficial MycorrhizaeAll its Plants with Beneficial Mycorrhizae

Granular application, incorporated in propagation media, contains 13 isolates of

d d t hiendo and ectomycorrhiza.

Preincorporated in propagation media (pinebark, peat, sand)media (pinebark, peat, sand)

Retail NurseryRetail Nursery Media Products

SELECTED COMPANIES SELLING MYCORRHIZA in NORTH AMERICAMYCORRHIZA in NORTH AMERICA

AgBio Inc. AgBio Inc. •Horticultural Alliance, Inc. •Mikro-Tek Inc. (Ontario, Can)•Mycorrhizal Applications•Plant Health Care, Inc. P i T h (Q éb C d )•Premier Tech (Québec, Canada)

•Reforestation Technologies •Roots IncRoots Inc•Terra Tech, LLC•TIPCO, Inc. •Tree of Life Nursery •Willis Orchard Company

FUNGICIDES & MYCORRHIZA

Fungicides decrease development of mycorrhiza for aFungicides decrease development of mycorrhiza for ashort time, depending on their persistence.

Most foliar sprays [except systemics — Triadimefon (Bayleton)] don’t come in contact with mycorrhiza in soil.

For optimum mycorrhizal development, delayf ngiciding d ring the first 3 eeks of coloni ationfungiciding during the first 3 weeks of colonization.

In general, insecticides and herbicides do not effect mycorrhiza.

Fungicidal Effects on Ectomycorrhiza.

No Reported Effect Inhibitory Effect*

Aliette (Fosotyl Al) Banrot*Benomyl (Benlate, Tersan-1991) Chlorothalonil* (Daconil, Bravo) Captan (Orthocide) Mancozeb* (Dithane)Carbamate (Fermate, Ferbam) PCNB* (Terraclor, Tri-PCNB)Carbendazim Triadimefon* (Bayleton)Carbendazim Triadimefon (Bayleton)Dexon Zineb* (Ziram, Zerlate)Difolatan (Sulfonimide, Difosan)FuberidizoleFuberidizoleMetalaxyl (Subdue, Ridomil) Thiophanate Methyl (Cleary 3336)Thiram (Arasan)

What Mycorrhizal Will Not Due

Under high fertility, don't expect to see growthdifferences in nursery production systems .p y

Mycorrhizae are not a panacea or the silver bullet for solving all the nursery industries challengessolving all the nursery industries challenges.

Use of mycorrhizae along with other improved cultural techniques can improve propagation and production efficiency, and enhance establishment of landscape plants.

Utilizing mycorrhizae can enable a nursery to be more “ecologically friendly” in propagating and producing lplants.

The challenge is for the nursery industry to educate the public, and to market, and command a higher price for p , , g pimproved mycorrhizal plants.

TAKE HOME MESSAGETAKE HOME MESSAGE

M hi k i h b k d i liMycorrhiza work with a bark, peat, sand, vermiculite, perlite, calcined clay media components.

Optimum results occur when media contain at least 10% mineral soil componentmineral soil component.

Best time to apply during propagation or whenBest time to apply during propagation or whentransplanting liners.

Works best with slow release fertilizers - ICRF

TAKE HOME MESSAGE (con)TAKE HOME MESSAGE (con)

A id i f i id d i th fi t 3 k fAvoid using fungicides during the first 3 weeks of mycorrhiza application.

I l i i id d h bi id d ffIn general, insecticides and herbicides do not effect mycorrhiza.

With very fibrous rooted, herbaceous plants, mycorrhizaare not as critical.

Greatest opportunity with coarse-rooted perennials, shrubs and trees.

Information on Mycorrhiza

• Mycorrhizal Information Exchange http://mycorrhiza.ag.utk.edu/

• International Mycorrhiza Society http://www.mycorrhizas.org/

• INVAM— International Culture Collection of Vesicular A b l M hi l F i htt //i f d /Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi — http://invam.caf.wvu.edu/

D t H ti lt l S i f d i @t dFred Dept Horticultural Sci., f-davies@tamu.edu Webpage: http://aggie- horticulture.tamu.edu/Faculty/davies/research/mycorrhizae.html