Monoxenic culture of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and plant hairy roots

The prerequisites for in vitro culture of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi together with plant hairy roots were investigated. Such dual cultures as Gigaspora margarita with roots of marshmallow, marigold, flax, and carrot as well as Glomus etunicatum, Glomus caledonium, and Glomus intraradices with carrot roots were obtained. The above cultures produced well-developed mycorrhizae, which formed all the typical structures characteristic of a given fungus species. Under the conditions selected for culturing, the fungi were able to complete their life cycle by forming viable resting spores, which later were used as an axenic fungal inoculum. Sterile root pieces with mycorrhiza were used along with fungal spores for establishing monoxenic cultures.