%0 Research article
%T Variation of ectomycorrhizal colonisation in Norway spruce seedlings in Finnish forest nurseries
%A Flykt, Enni
%A Timonen, Sari
%A Pennanen, Taina
%D 2008
%J Silva Fennica
%V 42
%N 4
%R doi:10.14214/sf.234
%U https://silvafennica.fi/article/234
%X Ectomycorrhizal (ECM) colonisation patterns and seedling growth of  containerised spruce seedlings were studied in five typical Finnish  forest nurseries by morphotyping and molecular characterisation. ECM  colonisation degree of 1-year-old spruce seedlings was below 20% in all  studied Finnish forest nurseries. In 2-year-old spruce seedlings the ECM  colonisation degree was ca. 50–60% in three of the nurseries, but  negligible in others. The ECM fungal species richness varied from 0.1 to  3.8 types per seedling. Altogether seven ECM morphotypes were  distinguished. The clearest factors associated with ECM colonisation  patterns were nitrogen and phosphorus fertilisation. Particularly  fertilisation in the early stage of seedling development appeared to  diminish the degree of colonisation and species richness of ECM fungi.  Root/shoot ratio was positively correlated with high colonisation degree  and species richness of ECM fungi. Higher fertilisation inputs in these  overall fertilisation levels did not increase the size of the  seedlings. According to these results moderate fertilisation levels  particularly in the beginning of seedling cultivation are critical for  generating higher root/shoot ratios and sufficient ECM colonisation  degree of the roots.