Great White Premium Mycorrhizae

[RJSquirrel]

Anyone using any beneficial fungus spores on there plants? I think i posted this on a dead topic in the Superthrive. I got to thinking that if you only have 1 lone root left on a plant that needs help why not soak the root and soil in a mycorrizal fungus? The fungus works with the root or roots by enlarging the area of root nutrient intake. The mycelia allows use of the roots outside the depletion zone immediately surrounding the root(s). If you have a perfectly healthy plant use of Mycorrhizae probably wont be noticed..I have found a few articles generated from a grower in asia that stated in the early stages of growth Mycorrhizae systemic application proved beneficial in fighting disease and therefore was calling Mycorrhizal treatment as Innoculation..I have some phals with a lone root left from root rot and I have been treating the water and soil with Great White Premium Mycorrhizae.The leaves were wilting from dehydration bec the root could not pick up enough water up into the leaves. Might be my less than scientific approach but the one root has turned Fat and green with some sprouts...I dont see why this wont work on needy plants..Its expensive experiment though..40 bucks for a 4 oz jar of fungus spores ..

so take a look at this and see what you think of this stuff.

State of Oregon: Oregon Department of Agriculture

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

I didn't have time to talk about mycorrhizal fungi when you brought it up in the "Superthrive" post.

Orchid mycorrhizae is different from many of the mycorrhizal fungi that form a symbiosis with many terrestrial plants.

The group of fungi that form the basis of the symbiosis belongs to a group collectively called Rhizoctonia. There are other groups of fungi that create mycorrhizal associations with orchids as well, but Rhizoctonia is the big one.

Now there might also be some confusion with the taxonomy of these mycorrhizae because of how difficult fungi are to classify, (some fungi will have two different scientific names, but the names are referring to the same organism, sometimes depending on the stage of development of the fungus).

Add on to the complexity, some orchids will play host to several different kinds of mycorrhizae. Some specialize.

This is a very interesting topic. While there is awareness of mycorrhizae and its importance to plants, there are still unknowns as well.

Oh, and, at least the species known as Rhizoctonia solani is a pathogenic fungi to many important food crops. There are no commercially available places that sell orchid mycorrhizae to the general public (that I know of).

The packet of mycorrhizae that you speak can be used for many terrestrial orchids with no ill effects. I wouldn't use them for epiphytical species though.

[RJSquirrel]

Orchid Mycorrhizae

This category of endomycorrhizae are mostly members of the Basidiomycota. All orchids are infected with this type of mycorrhizal fungus. Orchid mycorrhizae are functionally different because of the unique nutritional needs of orchid plants. In most plants, the seed contains a food supply that will feed the embryo, until germination occurs, at which time the plant becomes photosynthetic and can produce its own food. However, orchid seeds are very minute and contain a very small food reserve for the embryo. This food supply is usually depleted by the time that the first few cell divisions of the embryo has occurred.

During this critical period of time between the end of their stored food supply until they become photosynthetic (if they are photosynthetic orchids, many are not), they are dependent upon the mycorrhizae for survival. Most orchid seeds will not even germinate until the fungal symbiont penetrates seed coat of the seed.

Because of the lack of food in the embryo of the orchid, the fungus not only supplies minerals, but also organic compounds to the orchid such as carbohydrates and possibly other metabolites such as vitamins. Thus, it is the orchid that is deriving the carbohydrate from the fungus rather than the other way around. Unlike the other mycorrhizal fungi, these fungi digest organic materials, from the surrounding environment of the orchid, into glucose, ribose and other simple carbohydrate and these nutrients are translocated into the orchid to support their own growth. The relationships that orchid species have with the mycorrhizal fungi are variable and is dependent on their nutritional needs. Some orchids become photosynthetic when their leaves develop while others are achlorophyllous. So those that are photosynthetic do not require the mycorrhizae at that time, but often still retains the fungal symbiont as a partner. However, the achlorophyllous species will require it even as adult plants.

Some relationship are unique and very interesting. Many orchids are epiphytes, that is they live on other plants rather than in soil, and achlorophyllous. In experiments with orchid epiphytes, it has been demonstrated that the mycorrhizal fungus on the orchid roots also acts as a parasite upon the plant which the orchid is growing. In this type of relationship, food is being transferred, by the fungus, from the tree, on which the orchid is growing, to the orchid. This brings up another interesting point concerning orchid mycorrhizal fungi. The fungus involved is often known to be a serious pathogen to most plants, but for some reason seems to be a benefactor to the orchid.

Commercially, orchids are grown with an external source of organic carbon compounds and sometimes vitamins. However, this does not work with all orchid species.

Compliments of the University of Hawaii Botany Dept

another site
http://www.esf.edu/efb/horton/Orchid...zae%202009.pdf

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

This is going to sound confusing, but I'll clarify things as much as possible...

First of all mycorrhizae are generally categorized as either being endomycorrhizae (mycorrhizal fungi that infect the root cells of the host plant - they actually live inside the root cells), or ectomycorrhizae (mycorrhizal fungi that inhabit the surfaces of the roots - not inside the root cells, but rather outside the root cells).

Secondly fungi are broken down into 3 phyla:

1. Ascomycota
2. Zygomycota
3. Basidiomycota

Thirdly...

The group of orchid mycorrhizal fungi that comprise the genus Rhizoctonia belong to the phylum Basidiomycota. Rhizoctonia also happen to be endomycorrhizae, because they infect the interior of the root cells of their host orchid.

Does this clarify what they're talking about?

[Miri the Wildmage]

I realize that this topic has been dead for a long time, but would these micorrhizae aid germination at all? I have two phals which I have just pollinated and would rather not do all the stressful faffing around with agar and flasks and goodness knows what else if i could just spread some great white fungi on a bit of bark and sow my seeds onto that.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Originally Posted by Miri the Wildmage

I realize that this topic has been dead for a long time, but would these micorrhizae aid germination at all? I have two phals which I have just pollinated and would rather not do all the stressful faffing around with agar and flasks and goodness knows what else if i could just spread some great white fungi on a bit of bark and sow my seeds onto that.

The easy answer to your question is...as far as I know and understand, no, the mycorrhizae that are readily available will not aid in germinating your Phal seeds, they are a different group of species from the ones needed to germinate Phal seeds.

[Miri the Wildmage]

OK, thanks, it's no good spending tons of money on something which won't work!

[RJSquirrel]

I wish some of my old threads would die ..

I used the stuff for awhile and it didnt make a bit of difference. As you realize the fungus is/was intended for other growing purposes. But being really new to this at the time it was posted I was looking for any kind of advantage. It seems like many of us go thru the process and you are here

Stay curious

[Stray59]

RJSquirrel:
Thanks for posting your 'experiment'; because of growers like you, we all can learn more about these intriguing plants. And even though the fungus did not help, your posting will keep others from spending their money on the spore - now they can spend it on another orchid or two!
Again - thanks. I, for one am glad your old thread did not die!
Steve

[Ray]

Excellent response Steve, and I agree whole-heartedly.

I think that's one of the things that has held my attraction to orchid-growing for over 40 years - there is always something new to understand.