The host ranges of conifer-associated <i>Tricholoma matsutake</i>, Fagaceae-associated <i>T. bakamatsutake</i> and <i>T. fulvocastaneum</i> are wider in vitro than in nature

Tricholoma matsutake is the most commercially important edible mushroom in pine forests in Japan. Tricholoma bakamatsutake and T. fulvocastaneum, species closely related to T. matsutake, occur in Fagaceae forests. We examined ectomycorrhizal (EM) formation by these Tricholoma species by in vitro synthesis among seven strains (two of T. matsutake, four of T. bakamatsutake, one of T. fulvocastaneum) and axenic plants of pine (Pinus densiflora) and oak (Quercus serrata, Q. phillyraeoides). All strains, except for one of T. matsutake, formed EM associations with both pine and oak. Plant growth and mycelial development were differently affected by EM formation depending on the plant-fungus combination.