Anthropogenic disturbances have resulted in an increased threat of extinction of many native orchid taxa in Brazil's Atlantic rain forest. In nature, orchids utilize mycorrhizal fungi to initiate seed germination and seedling development, at least in the early stages of their life cycle. Mycorrhizal fungi associated with the roots of orchids have thus been isolated, characterized and stored as important resources for a future conservation program of orchid species through symbiotic seed germination. Three mycorrhizal Rhizoctonia-like fungi were isolated from roots of three neotropical orchid species Gomesa crispa, Campylocentrum organense and Bulbophyllum sp. from three different Atlantic rain forest fragments in Brazil. Taxonomic studies based on the nuclear condition, vegetative hyphal morphology and septal pore ultrastructure revealed that the isolates belong to the genera Ceratorhiza and Rhizoctonia. This is the first report on the isolation of mycorrhizal fungal species associated to the referred neotropical orchid species. Aspects concerning their taxonomy and use in the context of a native orchid conservation programs are discussed.
biodiversity; microbial ecology; mycology; endomycorrhizae; Ceratorhiza; Rhizoctonia
