Establishment of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in autotrophic strawberry cultures in vitro. Comparison with inoculation of microplants in vivo

Mycorrhization has been demonstrated in a commercial autotrophic micropropagation system where it has been shown to improve the performance of Fragaria vesca microplants at acclimatization (weaning) and in subsequent development. The experiments described involved a comparison of microplants mycorrhized in vitro, and at establishment, with non-aseptic arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) spores. It was shown that photosynthesis in vitro is not impaired by mycorrhization. There was no difference in mean percentage root colonization for in vitro and in vivo colonized microplants. Microplants, mycorrhized in vitro or in vivo outperformed non-mycorrhized plants in fresh and dry weight gain after acclimatization, whereas microplants mycorrhized in vitro outperformed those mycorrhized in vivo. The system described has potential for establishment of both aseptic mycorrhizae and gnotobiotic cultures involving mycorrhizae and helper bacteria, or selected biocontrol microorganisms, for both fundamental and applied studies.