LSC: INVAM, An International Culture Collection of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi

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A grant has been awarded to the West Virginia University Research Corporation under the direction of Dr. Joseph B. Morton for the maintenance and support of the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi collection. These fungi are of immense ecological importance, living in association with the roots of approximately 80% of all vascular plant species. The symbiotic relationship benefits the plant by enhancing nutrient and water uptake by the roots, as well as stabilizing soils and affecting composition, productivity, and longevity of plant communities. The culture collection at West Virginia University is unique as a resource for identification and research on arbuscular mycorrhizae. The collection contains over 1,200 strains representing nearly half of the known species worldwide. Several hundred cultures are provided annually to researchers who study various aspects of physiology, ecology, and systematics of the fungi. The fungi only grow in association with plant roots, and this grant will fund the development of improved pot culture methods. The funding will also provide improvements in the online database by allowing users to search the database for information. Collaborations will be established with other laboratories to develop better methods of using DNA sequence data to identify strains and species. Assays will be developed to screen for the tolerance of strains to various ecological factors. The website for the collection contains a wealth of information on structure, operations, and policies of the collection; fungal systematics; culture methods, sources of supplies, and a searchable database of collection resources. Strains and collection resources are widely used by scientists and educators. Visitors to the collection learn how to incorporate a mycorrhizal component in their research, and workshops are held to facilitate these activities.