Interactions between Pisolithus tinctorius and its hosts: a review of current knowledge

Pisolithus tinctorius (Pers.) Coker and Couch [Syn. = P. arhizus (Scop.: Pers.) Rauschert] (Pt) is a widespread ectomycorrhizal basidiomycete forming mycorrhizas with a variety of hosts. Developmental and functional aspects of the symbiosis are well documented and thus Pt has been adopted as a model organism for investigations of the molecular basis of ectomycorrhizal interactions. In this review of the current state of knowledge of interactions between Pr and its hosts we demonstrate that Pt displays much intraspecific heterogeneity of host specificity, physiology and the benefits the fungus can impart upon the host plant. It is not clear at present how far such heterogeneity re fleets systematic segregation within Pt.