Mycorrhizal Effects on Potassium Fluxes by Northwest Coniferous Seedlings

Abstract

In ectomycorrhizae, the relative abilities of mycobiont and host plant to take up and store inorganic nutrients are not easily determined due to the intimate physical relationship of the two components forming the association. Since compartmental analysis of solute elution can estimate cellular compartment pool sizes and unidirectional fluxes across membranes, we have used this method to study ectomycorrhizal coniferous roots. Rubidium-86, used as a tracer for potassium, was loaded into and eluted from intact roots of nonmycorrhizal and mycorrhizal (with the fungus Hebeloma crustuliniformme [Bull.: St. Amans Quél] Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii [Mirb.] Franco), western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla [Raf.] Sarg.) and Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis [Bong.] Carr.) seedlings.