Identification of ectomycorrhizal fungi isolated from roots of birch growing on metallurgic heap

Protective role of mycorrhizal fungus for plants against contamination with heavy metals makes a possibility to use fungi inocula for recultivation areas devastated by industry. Use of mycorrhizal symbiont for improving the living conditions of trees requires unambiguous identification of fungi that are able to form successful mycorrhizae in contaminated areas. We took up studies on identification of fungal species, which create mycorrhizal symbiosis with roots of birch growing on metallurgic heap. The identification of fungi collected directly from roots was performed by comparing patterns of restriction fragments of the fungal ITS products with DNA pattern obtained from fruiting bodies of Basidiomycetes fungi growing in the study area.