Occurrence of arbuscular mycorrhiza and ectomycorrhiza on Leptospermum scoparium from the Rakaia catchment, Canterbury
Leptospermum is one of only three New Zealand genera that are colonised by ectomycorrhizal (EM) fungi, and L. scoparium is one of the very few New Zealand species that can be colonised by both arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) and EM fungi. This study examined AM and EM colonisation on L. scoparium growing within AM grassland ecosystems or adjoining Nothofagus forest in the Rakaia catchment, Canterbury. Very low AM colonisation was found (<4%) in all samples, while EM colonisation ranged from 7 to 55% of root length colonised.