MINERAL-NUTRITION OF PINUS-CARIBAEA AND EUCALYPTUS-CAMALDULENSIS SEEDLINGS INOCULATED WITH PISOLITHUS-TINCTORIUS AND THELEPHORA-TERRESTRIS

Seedlings of Eucalyptus camaldulensis Dehnh. and Pinus caribaea Morelet var. hondurensis Loock. were inoculated with mycelium of Pisolithus tinctorius (Pers.) Coker & Couch and Thelephora terrestris Ehrl. per Fr. After four months in glasshouse culture, the roots of Pisolithus inoculated seedlings had significantly more ectomycorrhizae than Thelephora inoculated seedlings. The Pisolithus inoculated Eucalyptus seedlings were significantly larger in size than plants colonized with T. terrestris. Shoot dry weight and needle surface area of P. caribaea seedlings were significantly increased by Pisolithus inoculation. Inoculation with Pisolithus significantly increased N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Cu, Fe, Mn, Zn, and B content in E. camaldulensis seedlings compared to Thelephora inoculated plants. In contrast, only N, Mg, Cu, Fe, Zn, and B content was significantly increased by Pisolithus colonization of P. caribaea, compared to Thelephora inoculated seedlings. These data suggest ectomycorrhizal fungi differs in their ability to provide nutrients to host symbiont.