Paraglomus turpe, a new arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal species from Central European agricultural soils

A new arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus was isolated from several agricultural soils in Central Europe. It was propagated in bait cultures on Trifolium pratense, Lolium perenne and Plantago lanceolata, and subsequently in single species cultures on Hieraciumpilosella. The spores are hyaline, 32-49 x 29-48 pm in size, are singly formed on a subtending hyphae and have two spore walls, of which only the inner wall is persistent, while the evanescent outer wall already starts to degrade on young spores giving them a rapidly ageing appearance.. Molecular genetic characterisations of the fungus failed so that the new species is described based on the morphology of its spores. The fungus was found in multiple crop- and grasslands with a wide range of land use intensity, soil pH, soil texture, and phosphorus availability. It is here presented under the epithet Paraglomus turpe.