Mycorrhizal Fungi

Myco-Gro inoculant is a fine dry powder containing the species Glomus intraradices at 150 spores/gram carrier. Best stored at 4 to 10 dgrees C. Do not freeze. Do not allow powder to become damp during storage. Shelf life 2 years.

Vesicular Arbuscular Mycorrhiza (VAM) are fungi that grow as fine filaments which attach to the plant roots forming a pipe-life network, effectively extending the original root coverage by several hundred percent. This filament system retains and delivers moisture and nutrients supplied to the fungi by the plant. The host plant produces a larger root structure in response to stimulating compounds excreted by the fungi which are attempting to increase the available surface area to which they can attach.

VAM Mycorrhizal fungi are plant growth stimulants capable of extending the nutrient scavenging capacity of the plant on a purely physical basis, but they also release compounds which dissolve the elements prone for forming insoluble compounds - phosphorus and zinc are primary examples.

Mycorrhizal fungi improves soil structure through the release of organic glues that bind the soil particles into aggregates forming a highly desirable crumb structure.

GroundGrocer supplies VAM Mycorrhizal fungi as Myco-Gro® a fine dry powder.  Myco-Gro® mycorrhizal fungi contains the live spore of a beneficial natural fungus that colonises the root systems of most plants, growing inside the root and out into the soil. 

Benefits of good Mycorrhizal fungi levels:

• Increased uptake and retention of water - VAM Mycorrhizal fungi improve drought tolerance and recovery.
• Improved soil structure - VAM Mycorrhizal fungi induced crumb structure may be the most significant factor in long-term plant performance and overall soil health.
• Nutrient solubilisation - exudates unlock minerals like phosphate from frozen reserves in the soil.
• 90 % of all plants have developed some form of mycorrhizal association.
• Encourages root growth.
• Protection from root rot fungi and parasitic nematodes

Some of the important crops that will benefit from VAM innoculation include: avocadoes, apples, bananas, beans, carrots, clover, citrus, corn, cotton, cucumbers, grapes, lettuce, mangoes, olives, onions, passionfruit, pawpaws, stone fruit, peanuts, potatoes, rockmelons, soybeans, strawberries, sugar cane, tomatoes, watermelons and wheat.

Improved uptake of water and nutrients
Numerous studies demonstrate that VA Mycorrhizal fungi improve a plant’s ability to tolerate and recover from water stress (Allen et.al.1991; Amaranthus 1993; Koske et.al 1995).   The association of VAM with plant roots facilitates the uptake of nutrients such as phosphorus and trace minerals. By extending beyond the depletion zone of phosphorus around the root, the mycelium improves absorption.  VAM associated roots can transport phosphate at a rate 4 times that that of non-associated roots (Nye & Tinker, 1977). These extraction processes are particularly important in plant nutrition and partly explain why mycorrhizal symbiosis improves plant growth (Gemma and Koske 1989; Sylvia and Burks 1988; Hall et. al. 1984). 

Application

Myco-Gro® inoculant must come into contact with the growing root to be effective.
Myco-Gro® can be applied as a dry powder, mixed with water and sprayed onto soil around the plant, coated onto the seed, or by water injection.  Soil surface application needs to be watered into the root zone.
 
Vegetables:
In an 18 to 30 millilitre cell-seedling tray, apply to seed or the potting mix before germination at one gram of powder per 10 to 12 seedling cells (198 cell tray requires 20 grams of powder).  Product can be mixed with water and evenly watered over the tray or mixed with the potting mix prior to planting.

Mix into Bulk Potting Mixes:
Mixing into planting soil before potting – 50 grams per 25 litre bag of potting mix.  For commercial applications to seedlings, aim to apply 10 to 20 spores per individual germinating plant.  Product contains 200 spores / gram.

Strawberries and Tomatoes:
For freshly transplanted small plants apply greater than 25 spores per plant.

Seed coating for broad-acre application:
Mix the fine powder directly over seed at a rate to apply between 350 grams and one kilo per hectare.  Dampen seed with a fine mist of 10% sugar solution before or while mixing in the powder.  Apply no more than 3 litres of solution per ton of seed for large size seed (grain legumes, cereals) and up to 1 litre per100 kg for small seed (clover, lucerne, ryegrass).  Do not wet the seed so it sticks together.

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