Macadamia tetraphylla root-fungi-soil interactions

This project seeks to investigate which fungal groups are associated with the roots of M. tetraphylla.  Mollie will use eDNA techniques to look at the M. tetraphylla root mycobiome – that is, the fungal community that lives within plant roots. This includes mycorrhizal fungi that can grow around and inside roots and even into the root cells.  These interactions take many forms – the Australian National Botanic Gardens gives a great introduction to this important fungal group.

In Wild 4 Macadamias #4 I wrote about the proteoid cluster roots that macadamias sometimes use to access phosphorus from soil.  Knowing if and how the mycobiome interacts with proteoid roots will add to our understanding of what macadamias need to survive in the wild. Macadamias are clearly adept at making the most of scarce resources, as they can grow in a cup-full of soil and leaf litter in a boulder depression, and yet they are also particular about where they grow, given their limited range on the eastern-most tip of Australia.

Mollie Cooper at Southern Cross University is the first researcher to look at these interactions for Macadamia tetraphylla in its natural habitat, supported by the inaugural Ian and Janet McConachie Macadamia Conservation Research Grant.