Phosphate-solubilizing activity of ectomycorrhizal fungi <i>in vitro</i>

An easy to use method is presented here to compare and study the mineral phosphate-solubilizing activity of ectomycorrhizal fungi. This technique can discriminate between strains with differing phosphate-solubilizing activities. Synthetic mineral phosphates, crystalline or amorphous, were differentially solubilized by 10 ectomycorrhizal fungi. Natural crystalline phosphates studied do not seem to be solubilized by fungi under similar experimental conditions. Paxillus involutus 1 appears to be able to solubilize calcium phosphates using either ammonium or nitrate nitrogen, but the other isolates were able to effectively solubilize phosphate only in the presence of ammonium. This has implications regarding the possible mechanism used to solubilize phosphate by these isolates. Recrystallization can be seen in the culture medium if calcium ions are present. The type of crystals depends on the phosphate source and on the fungal strain. This technique is suitable for screening a large number of ectomycorrhizal strains. The significance of phosphate-solubilizing activity to plant growth stimulation needs to be determined by field trials. Key words: ectomycorrhizal fungus, phosphate, solubilization.