How can I make my mycorrhiza to make spores

[Eric Grunden]

amozafar at ipw.agrl.ethz.ch wrote:
> 
> I am trying to isolate native mycorrhizal fungi from Swiss Soils. I am
> using paspalum and maize as trap plants. Plant roots are infected and have
> vesicles.  I have, however, a hell of a time to have them make spores.
> What do I do wrong?. Could somebody please help.


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Just a hunch, but try (on a small scale to test) killing or damaging
the host plant (maize). Spores may be produced by mycorrhizal fungi in 
response to a threat to their symbiotic partner. In other words,
"there goes my meal ticket, time to move on.."  I surmize that is
why morel fruiting bodies are found more often around dead or dying
trees (their previous symbiont) than living ones.