Abstract
Symbiotic germination was analyzed in the myco-heterotrophic orchid Gastrodia elata. Seeds were placed on water agar medium containing a leaf-disc of Quercus accutissima that had been previously inoculated with one of six different Mycena species. Among the six fungi, KFRI1212 (HQ662845) and KFRI2121 (HQ662846) germinated 60.1 and 47.0 % seeds, respectively, while others germinated less than 3.5 %. Although KFRI1212 induced a significantly higher germination rate than KFRI2121, initiation of protocorm development was induced much faster by KFRI2121 than by KFRI1212. Molecular identification and phylogenetic analysis showed that the two fungi belonged to one clade that includes Mycena chlorophos, M. amicta and M. tenerrima, suggesting that seed germination of G. elata depends on a narrow taxonomic range of fungi. In conclusion, this study not only showed fungal preference of G. elata for seed germination but also confirmed molecular identities of mycorrhizal fungi for the first time, which will allow us to better understand the process of symbiotic events at the germination stage of G. elata.
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Park, EJ., Lee, W.Y. In vitro symbiotic germination of myco-heterotrophic Gastrodia elata by Mycena species. Plant Biotechnol Rep 7, 185–191 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11816-012-0248-x
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11816-012-0248-x