Subject: Mycorrhizae

From: [email-masked] (Ignacio Chapela)
Date: 27 Jul 1996 08:33:04 -0700

Dear Guenther,

I have been working with plantation/mycorrhiza problems for the last few
years in Ecuador and Mexico.  With very little time, but much interest on
your message, I would only like to say the following:

- You should be aware that in some places mycorrhizal fungi are providing
an improtant source of economic revenue for marginalized communities: in
Ecuador, for example, platntations are valued much more for the mushrooms
they produce (they export to German and Italian markets) than for the
timber.

- Please try and make a consciuos decision about WHICH fungi to introduce,
as this might enable/preclude your efforts to produce this kind of added
income to your lands.  In the past, highly aggressive fungi such as
Pisolithus tinctorius or Thelephora terrestris have been widely recommended
as easy additions to pine plantations.  Once these fungi are established it
is practically impossible to get rid of them, or to introduce other, more
interesting fungi.

-  Do consider the possibility of introducing high-value gourmet
mycorrhizae, such as Boletus spp.  The main problem there is to locate your
source of inoculum, but thata can be solved.

-  We are obtaining evidence suggesting also that the choice of mycorrhizal
fungus might have far-reaching consequences on the capacity of your
plantations to create soil and improve the quality of your site for future
uses.

With best regards and wishes for success,

ICh

***********************
Ignacio H. Chapela, PhD
Assistant Professor (Microbial Ecology)
College of Natural Resources
334 Hilgard Hall
University of California, Berkeley
CA 94720-3110    USA

tel(510)643 2452
fax(510)643 5098
[email-masked]

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From: Charles Samuels <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 29 Jul 1996 08:35:01 -0800

Ignacio:  Your note about fungi providing a source of revenue in pine 
plantations was very interesting.  I have a few acres near Fairbanks, 
Alaska planted to Lodgepole pine, which are not native to Alaska.  
During the last two years (the plantation is now about 10 years old) we 
are seeing a lot of yellow pored Suillus.  I have been unable to 
identify the exact species but it is very similar to the Slippery Jack, 
Suillus brevipes.

The plantation is the only place that I have seen this mushroom.  I 
would like to plant a more desirable species such as Boletus edulis.  
However, I have never found that species in the area and wonder if it 
would survive in that very cold country.  In any event I would be 
interested in hearing more about your experience with harvesting 
mushrooms from private pine plantations.

Charles Samuels [email-masked]

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From: JeremyBrowne <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 30 Jul 96 08:13:52 GMT

In article <[email-masked]>
           [email-masked] "Charles Samuels" writes:

> Alaska planted to Lodgepole pine, ....  

Just a thought: I don't know the Lodgepole pine, but is it related to
 the larch? If so, maybe your Suillus could be S. grevillei (Boletus Elegans,
 the Larch Bolete or Tamarack Jack)?

-- 
Jeremy Browne

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From: Charles Samuels <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 31 Jul 1996 10:54:34 -0800

Thanks for the tip regarding S. grevillei.  The Lodgepole is a true pine 
and does not lose its needles like the larch.  However, I do have larch, 
both native and Siberian, but not immediately adjacient to the location 
of the mushrooms.