Morpho-anatomical and molecular characterisation of ectomycorrhizae associated with Eucalyptus species growing in different areas of the Punjab Province, Pakistan

Abstract

An evaluation of the ectomycorrhizal status of Eucalyptus plantations in different areas of the Punjab Province, Pakistan is presented. Our study reveals a very low diversity of below-ground ectomycorrhizal fungi associated with Eucalyptus. Through molecular investigation, only three taxa were confirmed to be associated with six different species of Eucalyptus at four sampling sites. Among them, Scleroderma bovista was frequently associated with Eucalyptus in soils having different physicochemical properties highlighting wide ecological amplitude of this species. Scleroderma aurantium and Pisolithus tinctorius were infrequent associates with eucalypt roots. This study is the first consolidated approach to determine the ectomycorrhizal potential of exotic Eucalyptus with the innate fungal flora of Pakistan.