title: Mycorrhizal and root endophytic fungi of containerized Picea glauca seedlings assessed by rDNA sequence analysis.
abstract: Fungi colonizing fine roots of containerized Picea glauca seedlings were assessed in four large conifer nurseries in northern Alberta. PCR amplification of fungal rDNA (internal transcribed spacer and a portion of the 5' end of the large subunit gene) from random samples of fine feeder roots gave between 1 and 4 amplicons per seedling. Amplicons were either separated by electrophoresis and sequenced directly, or cloned and sequenced. The resulting sequences were compared to sequences obtained from cultures established from seedling roots and from GenBank by maximum parsimony analysis. ITS sequences formed 11 distinct clades, each including at least one reference sequence. The ectomycorrhizal basidiomycetes Thelephora americana and Amphinema byssoides were dominant, whereas ascomycetes were less common. Fungi with sequences similar to members of the Heleotiales which form ericoid mycorrhizas were also present. Correspondence analysis revealed strong positive and negative associations among fungal taxa as well as an influence of applied fertilizer level on fungal diversity and species composition.
authors.affiliation: Department of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2H1. gavink@alcor.concordia.ca
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kernaghan
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sigler
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Khasa
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D004271:DNA, Fungal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D005658:Fungi / Q000737:chemistry / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D028222:Picea / Q000382:microbiology*; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000382:microbiology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
chemical_list: D004271:DNA, Fungal; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer