Plants forming mycorrhizae with porcini mushrooms. What is mycorrhiza in biology? Noticeable effect of mycorrhiza

All types of fungi described in this article are mycorrhizal. In other words, they form mycorrhizae (or fungal roots) with certain tree species and live with them for years in a strong symbiosis.

Mushrooms receive organic matter from the tree: carbohydrates in the form of tree sap with sugars, amino acids, some vitamins, growth and other substances they need. With the help of mycorrhiza, the tree extracts nitrogenous products, minerals, phosphorus and potassium, and water.

Mushrooms become attached to certain forest species and cannot live without them. But at the same time, they are very picky: they love well-warmed soil, rich in forest humus.

The development of mushrooms is influenced by many factors: air humidity and temperature, lighting conditions, soil moisture, and so on.

Without their favorite tree species, mycorrhizal fungi do not bear fruit at all. In turn, trees often become weaker and sicker without their mushroom brothers. Thus, larch and pine seedlings that do not have mycorrhiza, on poor nutrients soil simply die. And vice versa, in close collaboration with mushrooms they successfully develop in these same places.

The host tree stimulates the growth of mycelium (mycelium) only if it lacks minerals obtained from the soil. Therefore, porcini mushrooms are more likely to appear on poor sandy soil than on fertile soil. The question arises, how to force Forest mushrooms grow in the garden?

There is only one way - to artificially inoculate mycelium with their green partners. Growing mycorrhizal fungi possible only outdoors and under mycorrhiza-forming trees.

The main thing is to preserve the inseparable pair of mushrooms and trees, without which the full development of a mushroom culture is impossible. This means that it is necessary to create favorable conditions close to those in which these fungi exist in wildlife. To do this, at a minimum, you need the presence of appropriate tree species in your garden - birch, aspen, pine, spruce, larch, and so on.

In addition to cultivating valuable and popular mycorrhizal mushrooms, mushroom growers have repeatedly tried to grow yellow chanterelles (Cantharellus cibarius), white milk mushrooms (Russula delica) and true milk mushrooms (Lactarius resimus) in the garden under birch trees, and funnel mushrooms (Craterellus cornucopioides) under several deciduous trees; Polish sucker and chestnut mushrooms; Russula under a variety of tree species and black milk mushrooms under spruce and birch.

PORCINI

The most important trumpet mushroom of the Russian forest is White mushroom(Boletus edulis), otherwise called boletus or ladybird.

It grows from the beginning of June to the end of October in deciduous, coniferous and mixed forests, in parks and gardens, along paths and abandoned roads, on the edges, along the slopes of ditches, in old dugouts and trenches, sometimes in thickets of bushes, after a drought in moss along swamps and drained swamps, but not in the dampest places (under birch, pine, spruce and oak trees); alone and in groups, often, annually.

The cap of the porcini mushroom reaches a diameter of 10 and even 30 cm. In youth it is round, hemispherical, in maturity it is cushion-shaped, in old age it can straighten to prostrate-convex, prostrate and depressed.

The cap is smooth, sometimes wrinkled in dry weather, often matte, shiny, slightly slimy in rain. The edge of the cap is leathery, often acute-angled.

The color of the cap depends on the time of year, humidity and temperature, as well as on the tree species next to which the mycorrhiza mushroom grows and forms: gray-ocher, gray-brown, ocher-brown, brown, chestnut, chestnut-brown, brown-brown and dark brown, lighter towards the edges.

The coloring is often uneven, the cap can be covered with multi-colored or blurry white spots, and in late autumn it can fade to a whitish, gray marbled and greenish color. Young mushrooms grown under fallen leaves or under a birch tree may be uncolored and have a completely white cap.

The tubular layer is finely porous, consisting of free, deeply notched or adherent tubes up to 4 cm long.

In youth it is white, in maturity it is yellow or yellow-greenish, in old age it is yellow-green or olive-yellow, turning brown.

The stalk of the porcini mushroom grows in length up to 10 and even 20 cm, in thickness up to 5 and even 10 cm. In youth it is thick, tuberous, and in maturity it lengthens, becoming club-shaped or widened towards the base.

It is solid, smooth, sometimes wrinkled, white, ocher, brownish or brownish, with a light mesh pattern, which is especially noticeable in the upper part of the leg.

The pulp is fleshy, dense, white, with a pleasant mushroom smell or almost odorless and with a nutty taste. The color does not change when broken.

BOROVIK

Boletus, or white pine mushroom (Boletus pinicola), grows on sandy soils, in green and white moss, in grass in pine forests and in forests mixed with pine from mid-May with a warm and wet spring to early November with warm autumn. As the latest Carpathian experience shows, it can also grow under other tree species, such as spruce and beech.

The cap of the boletus reaches a diameter of 20 cm. It is very fleshy, hemispherical in youth, convex in maturity, sometimes with a tuberculate surface, and cushion-shaped in old age.

The skin is smooth or velvety, and looks slightly sticky in the rain. The edge is often lighter than the middle, sometimes pinkish.

The color of the cap is burgundy, olive-brown, chestnut-brown, chocolate and dark red-brown, sometimes with a bluish and even purple tint.

Young mushrooms grown under moss may be uncolored and have a whitish or pink cap with a beautiful marbled pattern.

The tubular layer is white in youth, darkens with age to a yellowish, and then yellowish-olive color.

The tubes are up to 4 cm long, but noticeably shorten where they grow to the stem.

The leg of the boletus grows up to 12 cm in length. It is thick, very dense, club-shaped, and has a strong thickening at the base; white, white-pinkish, yellow-pinkish, yellow-brownish or reddish-brown and covered with a noticeable reddish or yellow-brown reticulate pattern.

The pulp is dense, white, reddish under the skin of the cap and stem, does not change color when broken, has a pleasant taste and pungent odor. raw potatoes. ON A NOTE

Porcini mushroom and boletus are considered one of the highest quality, tasty and nutritious mushrooms. They make excellent soups with a light, clear broth, fry, dry (very fragrant), freeze, salt and pickle. At proper drying the flesh remains light in color, unlike moss mushrooms and boletus mushrooms.

You can fry without pre-boiling, or just to be on the safe side, boil for about 10 minutes. In some countries Western Europe The porcini mushroom is used raw in salads, but I would protect my stomach from such shocks.

COMMON BORTOWER

One of the most common, most unpretentious, but highly respected tubular mushrooms- common boletus (Leccinum scabrum).

The people gave him many names: obabok, babka, spiker, birch, podgreb and gray mushroom.

Boletus grows in birch forests and forests mixed with birch, under single birch trees in the forest, in bushes and woodlands, including tundra, along roads and ditches, in gardens and on grassy city lawns from mid-May to the first ten days of November, singly and in groups, annually.

The cap of the boletus reaches a diameter of 10 and even 20 cm. In youth it is hemispherical, in maturity it becomes convex or cushion-shaped; usually it is smooth, dry, matte, and slightly sticky in the rain.

The cap is yellow-brown, brownish, gray-brown, brown-brown, chestnut-brown, dark brown and black-brown, sometimes almost white with a pinkish tint and gray, often spotted.

The skin of the cap is not removed during cooking.

The tubes are up to 3 cm long, with a notch at the stem or almost free. The tubular layer in youth is finely porous, whitish and grayish, darkening in maturity to dirty gray or gray-brown, often with whitish spots, convex, spongy, easily separated from the pulp.

The boletus stem grows up to 12 and even 20 cm long, and up to 4 cm thick. It is cylindrical, slightly thinner towards the cap and sometimes noticeably thickens towards the base, hard, solid, whitish with longitudinal whitish fibrous scales, which darken to dark with age. gray, brown, black-brown and even black.

The pulp is watery, dense and tender in youth, rather quickly becomes loose, flabby, and in the stem it turns into hard fibrous. It is white or grayish-white, at the base of the leg it can be yellowish or greenish, does not change color at the break; with a faint pleasant mushroom smell and taste.

Porcini mushrooms and boletus mushrooms compete with each other, so it is better to sow their spores under birch trees in different parts of the garden. Boletus mushrooms have an undeniable advantage over noble mushrooms and boletus - with proper care, its harvests will be more frequent and higher.

At regular watering boletuses will appear under birch trees and on their own.

When bearing fruit, boletus removes a lot of potassium from the soil. If the garden is not located in potassium-rich lowlands, then at the beginning of each season it is necessary to replenish potassium and other minerals.

To do this, water the soil around the tree with two buckets of solution (at the rate of 10 g of potassium chloride and 15 g of superphosphate per 1 bucket).

When preparing “seed material” from old caps, boletus spores mostly remain mixed with the pulp and do not precipitate well, so you need to use a suspension of their spores along with the pulp.

NOTE

There are more than ten types of boletus, including the more famous ones, such as blackhead, swamp, smoky and pinkish.

Of these, you can most often find in gardens the not very tasty swamp boletus (Leccinum holopus), which is best collected in at a young age and preferably just hats.

From the definition of the term mycorrhiza given at the beginning of the section, it follows that this is a symbiosis of fungi with the roots of higher plants.

In this regard, symbiotrophic fungi involved in the formation of mycorrhizae are called mycorrhizal fungi, or mycorrhiza-formers. Isolated from mycorrhizas into culture, these fungi (Shemakhanova, 1962) do not form any reproductive organs by which their systematic position could be directly determined. Therefore, to determine mycorrhizal fungi and their connection with a particular tree species or other plant in different time were used various methods.

The simplest method of direct observation in nature is based on external communications, existing between mycorrhiza and ground, mainly cap mushrooms. The connections between mushrooms and plants have been noted for a long time, and on this basis the names of mushrooms are given according to the tree in the forest under which they grow, for example: boletus, or birch berry, - under a birch; boletus, or aspen, - under the aspen. The close connection between fungi and plants is evidenced by the spider web mushroom (Cortinarius hemitridus), which, in the apt expression of E. Melina - outstanding researcher mycorrhizae of tree species - follows the birch like “a dolphin follows a ship.” Observations in nature served as starting points for subsequent research and have not lost their importance to this day as an auxiliary method.

Mycorrhiza-forming fungi are identified by fungal hyphae as growing in natural conditions, and grown in pure culture, by the serological method, by the method of semi-sterile and sterile cultures. In the process of application, the methods were modified and improved. For example, to determine the types of mycorrhiza-formers, a method for identifying mycorrhizal mycelium with soil mycelium of fungi considered mycorrhiza-forming was proposed (Vanin and Akhremovich, 1952). The most accurate and reliable method for resolving the question of the actual participation of certain fungi in the formation of mycorrhizae is the method of pure cultures of fungi and the method of sterile cultures of mycorrhizae.

Using various research methods and especially the pure culture method, scientists have determined the composition of mycorrhiza-forming fungi for many tree species: pine, spruce, larch, oak, birch and other coniferous and deciduous species.

Many scientists in our country and abroad have compiled lists of mycorrhizal fungi of various forest tree species. At the same time, different authors cite either a larger or smaller number of fungi that take part in the formation of mycorrhizae of one or another species.

With regard to the systematic composition of fungi involved in the formation of ectotrophic mycorrhizae, all researchers believe that mycorrhizal fungi belong predominantly to the orders of Aphyllophorales and Agaricales of the class of basidiomycetes. In this case, the most frequently named genera of fungi that form ectotrophic mycorrhiza of tree species are: Amanita, Boletus, Cantharellus, Hebe-loma, Lactarius, Tricholoma, etc. Representatives of the order Gasteromycetes (Gasteromycetales) from basidiomycetes, for example, Geaster, Rhisopogon, take part in the formation of mycorrhizae ; from the class of marsupial fungi (Ascomycetes), for example, Gyromitra, Tuber; from imperfect fungi (Fungi inperfecti), for example Phoma, as well as from other systematic categories.

On the composition of mycorrhiza-forming fungi, their association with some of the main tree species growing in the territory Soviet Union, evidenced by an incomplete list compiled primarily from published materials.

The given list of fungi that form ectotrophic mycorrhiza with the roots of some tree species indicates that their number different breeds various. There are 47 species of mycorrhiza-forming fungi in pine, 39 in oak, 27 in fir, 26 in birch and 21 in spruce. At the same time, mycorrhizal fungi include fungi from both the group of orders Hymenomycetes and Gasteromycetes of the Basidiamycetes class, and from the class of marsupial fungi. Other tree species have fewer mycorrhizal fungi, for example, larch has only 15 species, aspen has 6 species, and linden has even fewer - 4 species.

In addition to the quantitative composition by species and belonging to certain systematic categories, mycorrhizal fungi differ in biological features. Thus, mycorrhizal fungi differ in the degree to which they are confined in their development to the roots of certain plants and in their specialization.

Most fungi involved in ectotrophic mycorrhiza are not specialized on one particular host plant, but form mycorrhiza with many types of tree species. For example, the red fly agaric (Amanita muscaria Quel.) is capable of forming mycorrhizae with many coniferous and deciduous tree species. Some species of Boletus, Lactarius, Russula are poorly specialized, the fruiting bodies of which are often found in combination with certain types of forest trees. For example, late butterflower (Boletus luteus L.-Ixocomus) grows in pine and spruce forest and is associated with the formation of mycorrhiza on pine: birch grass (Boletus scaber Bull. var. scaber Vassilkov-Krombholzia) forms mycorrhiza mainly on the roots of birch.

The least specialized among all the mycorrhiza-formers of forest trees is the indiscriminate Cenoccocum graniforme. This fungus is found in the root system of pine, spruce, larch, oak, beech, birch, linden and others 16 woody plants(J. Harley, 1963). The lack of specialization and promiscuity in relation to the substrate of the coenococcus is indicated by its wide distribution even in soils on which none of the known hosts of the fungus grow. Other non-specialized fungi, for example, boletus bovinus L.-Ixocomus and common birch (Boletus scaber Bull. var. scaber Vassilkov-Kroincholzia) can be found in the soil in the form of mycelial strands or rhizomorphs.

The low specialization of mycorrhizal fungi is also manifested in the fact that sometimes several mycorrhizal fungi form ectotrophic mycorrhiza on the roots of the same tree species in natural forest conditions. Such ectotrophic mycorrhiza of the root of one tree or a branch of the root, formed by various symbiont fungi, is called by some scientists multiple infection (Levison, 1963). Just as most mycorrhizal fungi do not have strict specialization with respect to plant species, host plants do not have specialization with respect to fungi. Most species of host plants can form mycorrhizae with several species of fungi, i.e., the same tree can simultaneously be a symbiont of several species of fungi.

Thus, the composition of fungi that form ectotrophic mycorrhiza is diverse in terms of systematic characteristics and biological characteristics. Most of them belong to slightly specialized illegible forms that form mycorrhizae with coniferous and deciduous tree species and are found in the soil in the form of mycelial strands and rhizomorphs. Only some mycorrhizal fungi have a narrower specialization limited to one plant genus.

The composition of fungi that form endotrophic mycorrhiza is no less diverse. Endotrophic mycorrhizal fungi belong to different systematic categories. Here, first of all, a distinction is made between endotrophic mycorrhiza, formed by lower fungi, in which the mycelium is noncellular, nonseptate, and higher fungi with multicellular, septate mycelium. Endotrophic mycorrhiza, formed by fungi with nonseptate mycelium, is sometimes called phycomycete mycorrhiza, since lower fungi of the class Phycomycetes have nonseptate mycelium. The mycelium of phycomycete mycorrhiza is characterized by a large diameter of hyphae, its endophytic distribution in the tissues of the plant root and the formation of arbuscules and vesicles inside the tissues. For this reason, endotrophic mycorrhiza is sometimes also called vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhiza.

The group of fungi Rhizophagus, consisting of two phycomycetes Endogone and Pythium, which are very different from each other in cultural and other characteristics, takes part in the formation of phycomycete endotrophic mycorrhiza.

The composition of endophytic mycorrhiza fungi with septate mycelium varies depending on the type of mycorrhiza and the group of plants from whose roots it is formed. Orchids (Orchidaceae) have long attracted the attention of botanists for their diversity of forms, methods of reproduction and distribution, and economic value. These fungi have also been studied from the point of view of mycorrhiza, since all representatives of this family are susceptible to infection by fungi and contain fungal mycelium in the cells of the cortex of their absorbing organs. Orchid fungi constitute a separate group in many respects: they have septate mycelium with buckles, and according to this feature they are classified as basidiomycetes. But since they do not form fruiting bodies in culture, they are classified as imperfect stages, the genus Rhizoctonia-Rh. lenuginosa, Rh. repens, etc.

At different times, many species of Rhizoctonia, including perfect stages of basidiomycetes, such as Corticium catoni, were isolated and described from seeds and adult orchid plants. The mycelium of basidiomycetes with buckles, isolated from orchids, is assigned to one or another genus based on its fruiting bodies and other characteristics. For example, Marasmius coniatus forms mycorrhiza with Didymoplexis, and Xeritus javanicus with Gastrodia species. Honey fungus (Armillaria mellea Quel) does not form buckles, but it is easy to identify in its vegetative form by its rhizomorphs. It is a mycorrhiza-former in the galeola vine (Galeola septentrional is), gastrodia (Gastrodia) and other orchids.

Heather fungi (Ericaceae) were originally isolated from the roots of lingonberry (Vaccinium vitis idaea), heather (Erica carnea) and heather (Andromedia polifolia). In culture, these fungi formed pycnidia and were called Phoma radicis with 5 races. Each race was named after the plant from which it was isolated. Subsequently, it was proven that this fungus is a mycorrhiza-former of heathers.

Very little is known about the fungi that form peritrophic mycorrhiza. In all likelihood, this includes some soil fungi that can be found in the rhizosphere different types trees in different soil conditions.

Mycorrhiza is a symbiosis between a plant and fungal mycelium living in the soil. Certain types of fungi cooperate with specific types of plants. In natural conditions, allies are found on their own. In the garden we must help them with this by using appropriate “vaccines” applied to the soil.

What is mycorrhiza?

Mycorrhiza, (from Greek mikos (μύκης) - mushroom and rhiza (ρίζα) - root) is a phenomenon of mutually beneficial coexistence between living plant cells and non-pathogenic (non-disease-causing) fungi that colonize the soil. The definition of mycorrhiza literally means “ mushroom root«.

Mycorrhiza is a partnership between plants and fungi leading to mutual benefit. Fungi use the products of plant photosynthesis to produce plant sugars that they cannot produce themselves. Plants, in turn, receive much more benefits thanks to mycorrhiza.

Mycelial hyphae penetrate into the cells of the root cortex ( Endomycorrhiza) or remain on the surface of the root, entwining it with a dense network ( Ectomycorrhiza), thereby increasing the ability to absorb moisture and mineral salts from the soil. Plants begin to grow stronger and produce more flowers and fruits. They also become much more resistant to unfavorable conditions - drought, frost, inappropriate pH or excessive salinity of the soil. Mycorrhiza protects plants from diseases (,).

Where is mycorrhiza found?

Mycorrhizae have existed in nature for millions of years.– more than 80% of all plants remain in symbiosis with mycorrhizal fungi. On personal plots, unfortunately, rarely occurs, as it was destroyed as a result of intensive cultivation and the use of chemical fertilizers and plant protection products.

It is not possible to check with the naked eye (without a microscope) whether there is mycorrhiza in the garden soil. Mycorrhizal fungi very often die during the construction of a house. Deep pits, soil left on the surface, remains of crushed stone and lime are the main reasons for the absence of mycorrhiza in the garden.

Noticeable effect of mycorrhiza

The most popular and most visible results of mycorrhiza are Forest mushrooms. These are the fruiting bodies of ectomycorrhizal fungi. Even a beginner in mushroom picking will notice after the first mushroom picking that specific mushrooms only grow in close proximity to specific trees.

Chanterelles grow under both deciduous and coniferous trees, saffron milk caps grow under pines, spruces and firs. Porcini mushrooms can be found in not too dense forests, mainly under oaks, beeches, as well as pine and spruce trees. It is better to look for moss mushrooms under spruce and pine trees, as well as in deciduous forests, under oaks and beeches. In birch groves and under spruce trees, boletus grows, and boletus grows under birch, hornbeam and oak trees.

Mycorrhizal preparations – vaccines

Mycorrhizal vaccines contain live fungal hyphae or fungal spores. Specific, adapted mycorrhiza mixtures are intended for various plants (they also include edible varieties, however, in garden plots they rarely form fruiting bodies).

You can buy mycorrhizal preparations for indoor plants(the most popular is mycorrhiza) and balcony plants. Much larger selection of vaccines for garden plants- for and deciduous plants, vegetables, for heather, roses, and even for.

The roots of old trees go very deep, and the tree itself has only skeletal roots that are not suitable for mycorrhization. It should be remembered that in plants, both young and adult, the youngest roots are located relatively shallow underground, within 10-40 cm. In the case of planting trees dug directly from the ground, with an open root system, the vaccine should be added to several of the youngest, living roots before planting.

5 rules for using mycorrhiza vaccine

1. Preparations in powder form are added to the substrate at flower pot and then watered. Vaccines in the form of a suspension are introduced into pots or into the soil (directly onto the roots) using a syringe or a special applicator.
2. It is enough to plant the roots of plants once to connect with it and be useful throughout life.
3. There is no universal mycorrhiza suitable for all types of plants! Each plant (or group of plants - for example, heathers) remains in mycorrhiza only with certain types of fungi.
4. Much better are those containing mycelium hyphae. Vaccines containing fungal spores can be unreliable because the spores often do not suitable conditions for germination. Mycorrhiza of living mycelium, unlike dry preparations, after watering, is ready for an immediate reaction with the plant.
5. In the form of a gel suspension, it is stable even for several years, at a temperature of about 0⁰C, and loses its vitality when dried.

After introducing live mycelium, you should not fertilize the plants for 2 months. Also, do not use any fungicides.

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Kira Stoletova Everything on our planet is interconnected. A striking example of this is the concept of fungal root. If you take this word apart, it means the life of a fungus on the root of a plant. This is one of important stages

symbiosis, which implies the life of a representative of one class at the expense of another and has the definition of mycorrhiza. But this does not always happen in nature. Some fungi do not form mycorrhizae and develop independently.

What is mushroom root

The concept itself is embedded in the word. This is one of the facts of the existence of a joint tandem between representatives of fungi and plants: the fungus develops on the roots of trees and shrubs, it forms a mycelium that penetrates into the thickness of the plant bark.

The mushroom feeds at the expense of its “host” - and this is an indisputable fact. But if you conduct detailed research, you can emphasize the benefits for each party.

At the same time, the mushroom itself also helps the plant to develop normally, providing it with the necessary nutritional components. It makes the roots of the plant more loose, due to the fact that they are intertwined with mycelium. The porous structure allows the plant to absorb more moisture and, accordingly, additional nutrients.

At the same time, there is an additional quality - the ability to extract nutrients from different types of soil. As a result, when a tree is unable to receive necessary components from environment, the mycorrhizal fungus comes to the rescue, delivering for itself and its owner an additional portion for life and development. Which will prevent both representatives from drying out.

Varieties

The following fungi form mycorrhizae with roots:

1. Myccorisa ectotrophyca – spreads only in the upper layers;
2. Myccorisa endotrophyca - the mycelium develops in the thickness of the root, sometimes piercing the body almost right through;
3. Ectotrophyca, endotrophyca myccorisa (mixed type) – characterized by the characteristics of each upper species, spreading its mycelium both on the surface and in the thickness of the root;
4. Peritrophyca myccorisa is a simplified form of symbiosis and at the same time a new stage in development. It is located near the root without penetration of shoots.

What fungi form mycorrhiza with roots?

The group of the above types includes many representatives of edible and inedible classes:

• Gymnosperms;
• Monocots;
• Dicotyledons.

Their representatives are considered to be the beloved porcini mushrooms, aspen mushrooms, honey mushrooms, chanterelles, and boletus mushrooms. Some types of fungi got their name precisely due to their distribution on a specific plant representative. For example, aspen and boletus, birch and boletus, as well as others.

It is worth noting that a representative of the poisonous class, the fly agaric, forms its mycelium on the surface coniferous trees. And although it is not edible, it provides its “owner” with 100% nutritional components.

Fungi that do not form mycorrhizae

Conclusion

In the world there are both fungi that do not form mycorrhiza and those that do. Among all the listed species there are both edible and poisonous. But it is necessary to understand that each representative is very important, it performs certain functions in nature and without it, perhaps some vital biological processes would not occur.

Currently, about 300 thousand species of plants grow on our land, of which 90% (according to other sources, even more) live in close collaboration with fungi, and these are not only trees and shrubs, but also herbs.

This relationship between plants and fungi in the scientific world is called mycorrhiza (i.e. fungal root; from the Greek. mykes- mushroom, rhiza– root). Currently, only a small part of plants (and this is individual species from the family of amaranthaceae, gonoceae, cruciferous) can do without mycorrhiza, while most of them interact with fungi to one degree or another.

Some plants cannot do without mushrooms at all. For example, in the absence of symbiont fungi, orchid seeds do not germinate. Throughout their lives, orchids receive nutrition from mycorrhiza, although they have a photosynthetic apparatus and can independently synthesize organic substances.

The first who paid attention to the need for mushrooms for plants were foresters. After all, a good forest is always rich in mushrooms. The connection between mushrooms and certain trees is indicated by their names - boletus, boletus, etc. In practice, foresters encountered this only during artificial afforestation. At the beginning of the twentieth century, attempts were made to plant forests on steppe lands, especially regarding the planting of valuable species - oaks and conifers. In the steppes, mycorrhiza did not form on the roots of tree seedlings, and the plants died. Some immediately, others after a few years, others eked out a miserable existence. Then scientists proposed adding forest soil from the areas where these plants grew when planting seedlings. In this case, the plants began to grow much better.

The same thing happened when planting trees on waste heaps, dumps during the development of ore deposits, and during the reclamation of contaminated areas. It has now been proven that the addition of forest soil (and with it fungal hyphae) has a beneficial effect on the survival rate of young trees and serves an important condition their successful cultivation in treeless areas. The possibility of stimulating mycorrhiza formation due to local fungi present in the soils, through the selection of a number of agrotechnical techniques (loosening, watering, etc.), was also revealed. A method of introducing pure cultures of mycorrhizal fungi together with seedlings and seeds has also been developed.

At first glance, it may seem that mushrooms live only in forests and soils rich in organic matter. However, this is not true; they are found in all types of soils, including deserts. There are only a few of them in soils where they are abused mineral fertilizers and herbicides, and is completely absent in soils deprived of fertility and treated with fungicides.

Fungal spores are so small that they are carried long distances by the wind. IN favorable conditions the spores germinate and give rise to a new generation of mushrooms. Moist soils rich in organic matter are especially favorable for the development of fungi.

Can all fungi form mycorrhizae, i.e. live with plants? Among the huge variety of fungi (and according to various estimates there are 120-250 thousand species), about 10 thousand species are phytopathogens, the rest are saprophytic and mycorrhizal fungi.

Fungi - saprophytes live in surface layer soil, among large amounts of dead organic matter. They have special enzymes that allow them to decompose plant litter (mainly cellulose and lignin), and, accordingly, provide themselves with food. The role of saprophytic fungi can hardly be overestimated. They process a huge mass of organic residues - leaves, pine needles, branches, stumps. They are active soil formers because they process huge amounts of dead vegetation. Fungi clear the soil surface and prepare it for colonization by new generations of vegetation. The released minerals are again consumed by plants. Saprophytic mushrooms inhabit forest litter, peat bogs, humus, and soils rich in organic matter in abundance. Forest soils are completely permeated with the mycelium of these fungi. Thus, in 1 gram of soil, the length of the hyphae of these fungi reaches a kilometer or more.

Mycorrhizal fungi do not have such enzymes, which is why they cannot compete with fungi that decompose dead vegetation. Therefore, they have adapted to coexist with the roots of plants, where they receive the food they need.

What is mycorrhiza and what fungi form it? The fungus entwines the root with its threads (hyphae), forming a kind of cover up to 40 microns thick. From it, thin threads stretch in all directions, penetrating the soil for tens of meters around the tree. Some types of fungi remain on the surface of the root, others grow inside it. Still others represent a transitional form, intermediate between them.

Mycorrhiza, which entwines the root, is characteristic of woody plants and perennial grasses. It is formed mainly by cap mushrooms: boletus, boletus, porcini mushrooms, russula, fly agaric, toadstool, etc. That is, both edible and poisonous mushrooms for humans. All mushrooms are useful and necessary for plants, regardless of their taste. Therefore, you should never destroy mushrooms, including poisonous ones.

Cap mushrooms, such as oyster mushrooms, honey mushrooms, champignons, umbrellas, dung beetles, are saprophytes (i.e. they feed on wood, manure or other organic matter) and do not form mycorrhizae.

The mushrooms that we collect in the forest are the fruiting bodies of mycorrhizae. Mushrooms are somewhat reminiscent of an iceberg, the apical part of which is represented by fruiting bodies (mushrooms in the everyday sense), necessary for the formation and spread of spores. The underwater part of the iceberg is mycorrhiza, which entwines plant roots with its threads. It sometimes stretches for tens of meters. This can be judged at least by the size of the “witch’s rings”.

In other fungi, hyphae penetrate into the tissue and cells of the root, receiving food from there. This is not done without the participation of the plant, because in this case, the process of transferring nutrients is easier. In the presence of such fungi, plant roots undergo significant morphological changes; they branch intensively, forming special protrusions and outgrowths. This occurs under the influence of growth substances (auxins) secreted by fungi. This is the most common type of mycorrhiza in herbaceous plants and some trees (apple, maple, elm, alder, lingonberry, heather, orchids, etc.).

Some plants, such as orchids and heather, can develop normally only in the presence of mycorrhizal fungi. In others (oak, birch, conifers, hornbeam) mycotrophy almost always occurs. There are plants (acacia, linden, birch, some fruit trees, many shrubs), which can develop normally both with mushrooms and in their absence. This largely depends on the availability of nutrients in the soil; if there are a lot of them, then there is no need for mycorrhiza.

A strong connection is established between the plant and the fungi, and very often certain types of fungi are characteristic of certain groups of plants. Most host plants do not have strict specialization towards fungi. They can form mycorrhizae with several types of fungi. For example, boletus, porcini mushroom, red mushroom, volushka, milk mushrooms, russula, red fly agaric and others develop on birch. On the aspen there is boletus, russula, and aspen milk mushrooms. On different types of spruce - oiler, porcini mushroom, saffron milk cap, yellow podgruzd, types of russula and cobwebs, different types of fly agarics. On the pine tree there are porcini mushrooms, Polish mushrooms, real butterflies, granular butterflies, moss mushrooms, russula, camelina, fly agaric. However, there are plants that are “served” by only one mushroom. For example, larch butterfly creates mycorrhiza only with larch.

At the same time, there are so-called universal mushrooms (among which, oddly enough, the red fly agaric), which are capable of creating mycorrhizae with many trees (both coniferous and deciduous), shrubs and herbs. The number of mushrooms that “serve” certain trees varies. So in pine there are 47 species, in birch - 26, in spruce - 21, in aspen - 8, and in linden - only 4.

How is mycorrhiza useful for higher plants? The mycelium of the fungus replaces the plant's root hairs. Mycorrhiza is like a continuation of the root itself. When mycorrhiza appears in many plants, due to lack of need, root hairs do not form. The mycorrhizal sheath with numerous fungal hyphae extending from it significantly increases the surface area for absorption and supply of water and minerals to plants. For example, in 1 cm 3 of soil surrounding the root, total length mycorrhiza threads are 20-40 meters, and they sometimes extend away from the plant for tens of meters. The absorbing surface of branched fungal filaments in mycorrhiza is 1000 times greater than the surface of root hairs, due to which the extraction of nutrients and water from the soil sharply increases. Mycorrhizal plants have a more intense exchange of nutrients with the soil. In the mushroom sheath they accumulate in large quantities phosphorus, nitrogen, calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium and other minerals.

Fungal threads (hyphae) are much thinner than root hairs and are about 2-4 microns. Due to this, they can penetrate into the pores of soil minerals, where there are minute amounts of pore water. In the presence of fungi, plants tolerate drought much better, because fungi extract water from the smallest pores, from where plants cannot obtain it.

Fungal hyphae release various organic acids into the environment (malic, glycolic, oxalic) and are capable of destroying soil minerals, in particular limestone and marble. They can handle even such durable minerals as quartz and granite. By dissolving minerals, they extract from them mineral plant nutritional elements, including phosphorus, potassium, iron, manganese, cobalt, zinc, etc. Plants without fungi are independently unable to extract these elements from minerals. These minerals are found in mycorrhiza in combination with organic substances. Due to this, their solubility is reduced and they are not washed out of the soil. Thus, balanced plant nutrition, which is ensured by the development of mycorrhiza, stimulates their harmonious development, which affects productivity and the ability to withstand adverse environmental factors.

In addition, fungal hyphae provide plants with vitamins, growth hormones, some enzymes and other substances beneficial to plants. This is especially important for some plants (for example, corn, onions) that lack root hairs. Many types of mycorrhizal fungi secrete antibiotics and thereby protect plants from pathogenic microorganisms. They use antibiotics to protect their habitat, and with it the root of the plant. Many fungi form and release growth-stimulating substances into the environment, which activate the growth of roots and above-ground organs, accelerate the processes of metabolism, respiration, etc. By doing this, they stimulate the plant to release the nutrients it needs. Consequently, fungi, with the products of their vital activity, activate the activity of the root system of plants.

What do mushrooms get in return? It turns out that plants give fungi up to 20-30% (according to some data up to 50%) of the organic matter they synthesize, i.e. they feed the mushrooms with easily digestible substances. Root secretions contain sugars, amino acids, vitamins and other substances.

Research has shown that mycorrhiza-forming fungi are completely dependent on the plants with which they form mycorrhiza. Indeed, it has long been noted that the appearance of fungal fruiting bodies occurs only in the presence of plants - symbionts. This phenomenon has been noted for russula, cobweb mushrooms, and especially for tubular mushrooms - porcini mushrooms, boletus mushrooms, boletus mushrooms, saffron cap mushrooms, and fly agaric mushrooms. After all, after cutting down trees, the fruiting bodies of the accompanying fungi also disappear.

It has been established that there are complex relationships between fungi and plants. Fungi with their secretions stimulate the physiological activity of plants and the intensity of excretion of nutrients for fungi. On the other hand, the composition of the fungal community in the rhizosphere can be regulated by substances secreted by plant roots. Thus, plants can stimulate the growth of fungi that are antagonists of phytopathogens. Fungi that are dangerous to plants are suppressed not by the plants themselves, but by antagonistic fungi.

However, in the plant community, just as among people, conflicts are possible. If it invades a stable plant community the new kind(either on its own or if it was planted there), the mycorrhiza that predominates in this community can get rid of this plant. It will not supply him with nutrients. A plant of this undesirable species will gradually weaken and eventually die.

You and I have planted a tree and are surprised that it grows poorly, not realizing the “under-the-scenes” struggle. This has a certain environmental meaning. A new plant, having established itself in a new community, will sooner or later “bring along” its characteristic mycorrhiza, which will be an antagonist of the existing one. Isn't that what happens in human society? The new boss always brings his “team”, which most often comes into conflict with the existing team.

Further research led to even greater surprises about the role of mycorrhiza in the plant community. It turns out that fungal hyphae, intertwining with each other, are able to form so-called “communication networks” and communicate from one plant to another. Plants, with the help of fungi, can exchange nutrients and various stimulants with each other. A kind of mutual aid was discovered, when stronger plants feed the weaker ones. This allows plants, being at some distance, to interact with each other. Plants with very small seeds especially need this. The microscopic seedling would not have been able to survive if the general nutritional network had not initially taken it into its care. The exchange of nutrients between plants has been proven by experiments with radioactive isotopes. Special experiments have shown that seedling plants grown by self-sowing near the mother plant develop better than those isolated or planted. Perhaps the seedlings are associated with mother plant through a fungal "umbilical cord" through which mature plant fed a small sprout. However, this is only possible in natural biocenoses with established symbiotic relationships.

In such “communication networks” the connection is not only trophic, but also informational. It turns out that plants distant from each other, when exposed to a certain influence on one of them, react to this influence instantly and in the same way. Information is transmitted through the transfer of specific chemical compounds. This is somewhat reminiscent of the transmission of information through our nervous system.

These experiments showed that plants in a community are not just plants growing nearby, but a single organism connected into a whole underground network numerous thin threads of mushrooms. Plants are “interested” in a stable community, which allows them to resist the invasion of aliens.

After reading this, a natural desire immediately arises to improve the lives of your gardeners and garden crops through mycorrhiza. What needs to be done for this? There are many various ways, the essence of which boils down to entering into root system cultivated plant of a small amount of “forest” soil, where mycorrhizal fungi are presumably present. You can introduce a pure culture of mycorrhizal fungi into the root system, which are commercially available, which is quite expensive. However, in our opinion, the most in a simple way is next. Collect the caps of well-ripened (old, possibly wormy) mushrooms, preferably of different types, including inedible ones. They are placed in a bucket of water, stirred to wash away the spores on them, and garden and garden crops are watered with this water.

During the implementation of the project, state support funds allocated as a grant were used in accordance with the order of the President Russian Federation dated March 29, 2013 No. 115-rp") and on the basis of a competition held by the Knowledge Society of Russia.

A.P. Sadchikov,
Moscow Society of Natural Scientists
http://www.moip.msu.ru
[email protected]

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