Date: Sat, 19 Sep 1998 09:03:51 +0100 From: "Guy Van der Kinderen" <Guy.VanDerKinderen@rug.ac.be> To: cp@opus.hpl.hp.com Message-Id: <aabcdefg3055$foo@default> Subject: Re: A few more thoughts on the Cephalotus/mycorrhizae question
Dear All,
>
> So how is this relevant to Cephs?
> The program discussed the uptake of nutrients by
> plants using mycorrhizae. The 'upland' plants such as
> _Erica_ have endomycorrhizae with fungal hyphae
> within the structure of the roots. These were noted
> as being especially important to plants in the
> following conditions:
> Low soil pH
> Poor nutrient levels
> Peaty organic-rich soil
> This sounds very like the media that most CPs are
> grown in!
>
> In Schulze et al 1997 they investigated the source of
> nitrogen in several carnivorous plants. They
> compared the amount N derived from captured insects
> as a percentage of the total N using the ratio of
> 15N/14N (I wouldn't mind hearing the explanation of
> this technique if anyone knows it but the results are
> interesting anyway).
>
> Their results showed that Darlngtonia californica had
> a mean %N from insects of 76.4% +- 8.4% (range
> 57-90%) and Nepenthes mirabilis had a mean %N from
> insects of 61.5% +- 7.6% (range 0-71%).
>
> Cephalotus follicularis had a mean %N from insects of
> 26.1% +-5.9% (range 19-30%). This value was derived
> from the largest three plants as some of the smaller
> specimens did not have pitchers. That value is
> considerably lower than the other genera. Might that
> add some credibility to the hypothesis that the other
> 73.9% derived from the soil may have been aided by
> fungal activity, if it is growing in poor soil?
>
> I dont have access to thin sectioning equipment at
> the moment, so has anyone access to a lab where they
> can try sectioning some Cephalotus roots stained to
> show the hyphae in contrast to the root cells?
I already made some sections for microscopic examination, but I have
to do this between (many) other work. Up to now, I sectioned and
examined the rhizome of Ceph., but these were transverse sections cut
by hand. They did not show any fungal infestations like micorrhizae.
For good examinations, I need to make longitudinal and paraffin
sections, but this will take some time. I will keep the list
informed.
Indeed, after checking Juniper et al. in The Carnivorous Plants, it
is clear that little is known about micorrhizae in CP, and
conclusions are based on scarce and (very) old literature.
Kind regards,
Guy
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