Mycorrhizal Fungi Primer

[amideutch]

I came across a website that sells mycorrhizal products and found some good info on what the fungi actually do as far as enhancing the growth of the plant. There are two groups of mycorrhizal fungi, Endo and Ecto. For tomatoes/vegetables we are interested in Endomycorrhhizal fungi. In particular the Glomus strains to include intraradices,mosseae,aggregatum and andetunicatum. Here is brief overview on the first three.

Glomus mosseae

Glomus mosseae is one of the most researched endomycorrhizal fungi. Numerous studies have determined the importance of G. mosseae in:

• Nitrogen and phosphorous uptake
• Enzyme activity to access micro nutrients
• Nematode control
• Root stimulation
• Improved performance of woody perennials
• Control of pathogenic fungi

Glomus aggregatum

Studies have determined the importance of the endomycorrhizal fungus G. aggregaturn in:

• Improved plant performance in sandy soils
• Control of root rots
• Effective colonization with time release fertilizers
• Tolerance of high fertility levels
• Improved performance of Palms, Fruit trees.

Glomus intraradices

Glomus intraradices is the most widespread and researched endomycorrhizal fungi. Numerous studies have determined the importance of G. intraradices in:

• Phosphorous uptake
• Nematode control
• Can access organic forms of nitrogen and phosphorous
• Improved growth and performance of turf grasses, agricultural crops and citrus
• Control of fusarium
• Drought protection

And here is a brief narrative.

The term mycorrhizal comes from the Greek words mykes, meaning fungus, and rhiza, meaning root. Mycorrhizal fungi are fungi that have developed a symbiotic (mutually beneficial) relationship with the root systems of living plants, from garden vegetables all the way up to Old Growth trees. Networks of mycorrhizal filaments envelop the seedling's root structure, greatly extending and enhancing (by a factor of several hundred to several thousand times) the growing plant's water- and nutrient-gathering abilities and protecting the plant from disease.


This is why some of us here who talk about and promote the use of mycorrhizal fungi get excited about what it can do and the benefits gained from it's use. Completely organic and inexpensive to use. Basically one application per growing season is all thats required. Ami

[carolyn137]

Ami, I followed the whole myco story from about 1990 until maybe 6-7 years ago.

There were several small firms here in the US who got on the bandwagon early and promoted it and were selling preps.

That led to quite a few folks posting about their results and several of them used the same tomato variety with and without myco for controls.

All I can say is that despite all the pluses that the literature and ads tout, that I was not at all impressed with the results that I saw.

Endo types were first discovered growing in association with dry farmed corn fields that some Indian groups in the SW were growing and yes, it was shown that they can help increase P uptake as well as water uptake, but that would be expected in a dry farming situation.

But most folks I know don't dry farm tomatoes, and as far as protecting the roots from pathogenic fungi. viz the Fusarium mentioned above, I've not seen that proven in controlled studies for Fusarium or any of the other soil dwelling systemic pathogenic fungi. And most folks I know are adding P as an ingredient in amendments that they use otherwise.

And yes, myco has been found in association with many types of plants and trees other than the initial corn, but as far as I know, although it's been speculated byone person I know, no one has found them in a natural association with tomatoes.

What are your personal experiences with them?

[Douglas14]

Interesting. Endomycorrhizal fungi seems to be the "new big thing" in the giant pumpking growing community. Last year I believe many growers used it. Pumpkin weights seemed to have a breakout year last year, with something like ten pumpkins breaking the previous world record. Is this due in part to the use of the fungi, or other factors....I don't know?

[amideutch]

Carolyn, I used myco last year in con★★★★★★★★ with Actinovate and had excellent results considering the weather we had which was rain in July and August. Disease was almost non-existent, excellent growth and good production considering the conditions. Anybody can go to the pictures forum and see my posts of my tomatoes grown in containers and in the ground. Alot of people I know locally and co-workers who grew tomatoes had a dismal season with most plants succumbing to disease with little production.
In 2006 with only rain in July and using the same growing regimen minus myco and actinovate my season was medicore at best with more disease than I care to comment on. So with a poorer growing season in 2007 I had superior results with myco and Actinovate as compared to 2006.
I planted my tomato seeds in Jiffy 7's 16 Mar 08 and transplanted to 4" CowPots about 3 weeks ago with Fox Farms light warrior grow medium innoculated with mycorrhizae and a week later innoculated them with Actinovate brewed in microbe tea and they are pushing 2 feet as I write this. And the only support they have is a 10" stick I used when I transplanted them into the CowPots. No additional support has been needed as compared to last year when I kept putting in longer sticks to keep them from falling over. Last year I innoculated the plants when I planted them out.
Ray of "Earth Tainer" fame is doing a side by side comparison in one of his tainers using mycorrhizae which I suggested. Will be looking forward to his results. This year I cannot do a side by side as I have innoculated all my plants as previously stated. BTW Carolyn, have you used mycorrhizae on tomato plants and if so when,what strains and what were your results. Ami

[amideutch]

Here are some photo's taken today of my seedlings. The first snap shows 2 flats started 16 Mar. The second photo shows seeds planted 1 April and the PL front left is KBX and the third one you are all familiar with looking out my window down the valley. Hopefully I will start planting out this weekend.Ami

[mdvpc]

Ami-those critters are crying out to be planted.

[carolyn137]

What are your personal experiences with them?

****

Ami, other than lecturing about them in a couple of courses I never used them on my tomatoes.

Back in 2000 I was a Moderator at Tomatomania and the myco's were all the rage and as I said above, several folks did use the preps and some did proper controls.

They presented their data and as I said above I was not impressed that there were any meaningful differences re those who used controls and they weren't impressed either.

At the time I was personally growing about 1000 plants/season and perhaps I was too negative, but I wasn't going to raise a lot of plants of one variety just to set up an experimental and control group.

[jhp]

Ami! My goodness, those plants are incredible! I started my seeds April 2 and my plants are tiny compared to yours.

Jen

[rnewste]

Ami,

Interesting timing of your post! I just inoculated 46 of my 48 tomato plants yesterday. In doing a very unscientific trial, I selected a pair of Paul Robeson plants in the same container, as well as a pair of Goose Creek plants. I inoculated the ones on the left side of the containers, and did not apply the MycoGrow water soluble fungi to the other plant. Everything else is constant - same potting mix, same fertilizer, same access to water in the reservoir, same sun exposure, etc.

I selected the "poorer" looking plant to inoculate, to see if it will catch up to the taller sibling, so this will put the fungi additive to a real test. I will also track DTM as well as tomatoes per plant production to compare any potential effectiveness (the latter being one reason I selected the Paul Robeson pair).


Paul Robeson - inoculated plant on left



Goose Creek - inoculated plant on left

So Ami, it will be interesting if I have a similar experience to yours with a fungi additive later this season, or if it is of no benefit in my set up. "Inquiring Minds want to Know"!

Here is a link to the Fungi Perfecti product that I used:

http://www.fungi.com/mycogrow/index.html

Ray

[jcmorse33]

Pardon me for asking, Ray. I don't mean to dampen your enthusiasm (I've been watching your Earth-tainer experiments with alot of interest, albeit as a lurker thus far). But how are you keeping the fungi from spreading over time to colonize both sides of the container? I could see the innoculated plant getting some initial boost over the non-innoculated one. But eventually both will have their root systems colonized and be receiving similar benefit. Even with a barrier in the soil / growing medium I would imagine there would be some spreading via the shared water reservoir. And I have no idea how fast this spreading would occur.

I must admit I too have given in this year and am trying out the Epsoma Bio Tone for my initial fertilization. Of course I just went ahead and used it on all of my tomatoes. Heh.

--Justin

[Douglas14]

Ray,
I'm thinking that being both plants(innoculated and not) are grown so close together, in the same planters, that the innoculation will carry over to the non-innoculated plant. Just a thought.

[rnewste]

jc and Douglas,

Very good question. I should have explained that under the black mulch is a vertical mechanical divider wall I install to keep the root systems of the 2 plants from co-mingling.



While this is not a 100% hermetically sealed compartment, it does give a high degree of isolation between the 2 plants, so any migration of the fungi to the non-inoculated half should be minimal, or at least impeded for some time.



You can see the top of it here, and it extends down to the bottom of the wicking basket.

Ray

[amideutch]

jhp, I've been meaning to comment on your cymbidium avatar as when I was in my teen's I built a greenhouse and a good friend who was a member of the "Cymbidium Society Of America" gave me about 25 plants to start my hobby. Still have a few orchids around the house and thats about it. Ami

[Douglas14]

Cool Ray...I look forward to hearing the results of your experiment.