THE RESULTS OF THE RESEARCH CONDUCTED BY PROF. DR HAB. BOŻENNA BORKOWSKA FROM THE ISK (INSTITUTE OF FRUIT-GROWING AND FLORICULTURE) SKIERNIEWICE

Plants belonging to the Ericaceae family (Erica, Calluna, Rhododendron and Yaccinium) create ericoid mycorrhiza (ERM). It is the task of the ERM fungi to split up with enzymes the organic substance from the basement soil; to reduce both not-biologic (drought, inappropriate soil acidity, pollution) and biologic (soil-borne pathogens) stresses.

Lack of mycorrhiza is a serious problem for plants bred with the in vitro method and for plants rooted and planted on layers without soil or sterile ones, as well as for the plants that come from foreign eco-systems (eg for bilberry).

Inoculants with ericoid mycorrhiza are very hard to obtain. A Polish company, MYKOFLOR, has launched a production of such inoculants for many decorative plants (azaleas, rhododendrons, heathers and some conifers) and for fructiferous plants of the "acidic" type (bilberries and cranberries). The inoculants are based upon Polish fungi, isolated from natural habitats from different regions of Poland. Such inoculants establish an active symbiosis with fungi.

At the Physiology and Bio-chemistry branch of the Institute of Fruit-Growing and Floriculture in Skierniewice experiments are conducted on the usage of the ericoid (ERM) inoculants from MYKOFLOR for bilberry and cranberry.

The main difficulty in growing bilberries and cranberries is keeping the acidity of soil. The results of our experiments indicate, that mycorrhiza makes cranberries and bilberries significantly more tolerant to an excessively alkaline soil.

For example: Rooted seedlings of cranberries were put into soil of pH 4.5 and 6.5. In both cases ericoid inoculants produced by MYKOFLOR were added.

The morphologic reaction of mycorrhizated "Peligrim" bilberries to the pH of the soil is presented in the table below.

* an average number of buds per plant is bracketed

In the conditions of optimal pH of soil (4,5) mycorrhiza had no significant influence on the growth of plants. However, in stressful conditions (pH 6,5) the growth of the control plants (without mycorrhiza) was weak while the growth of mycorrhizated plants was the same or even better than of those growing in the optimal acidity of soil.

prof. dr hab. Bożenna Borkowska
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Instytut Sadownictwa i Kwiaciarstwa (Institute of Fruit-Growing and Floriculture) – http://insad.pl.