Mycorrhizal Fungi... worth it or not

I have had a look at some papers on trials and agree it is not clear cut at all. See here for some papers https://scholar.google.co.uk/schola...ials+with&hl=en&as_sdt=0&as_vis=1&oi=scholart
This is one trial reporting good results 2021 Ornamental Trials - Mycorrhizal Applications | Leaders in the Production of Mycorrhizal Fungi
Many also look at more than one variable which makes it unclear as to where the benefit lies.
For more on mycorrhizal fungi see the "Entangled Life" by Merlin Sheldrake and Suzanne Simard "Finding the Mother Tree"

 

This from Which site:
Q Are mycorrhizal fungi treatments worth using?

A Most soils contain varying amounts and species of mycorrhizal fungi, and soils themselves are very different around the country, so it wasn’t surprising to see that some treatments gave better results in certain gardens than in others. In some soils, the treatments seemed to give the roses a boost, but this wasn’t uniform across all five gardens.

When we averaged the scores across the five gardens, the roses given the mycorrhizal fungi treatments were largely on a par with those fed with Toprose. This is very positive for those who prefer to garden organically.
Nevertheless, we saw good results in most of our gardens when adding neither a mycorrhizal fungi treatment nor any fertiliser. The gardens in the Cotswolds and Northumberland gave the best results for the control plants. Both are heavier, clay-based soils and have been regularly mulched with organic matter over many years, creating a rich and nutritious soil.
As there is no way of knowing whether any or all of these products will provide the missing mycorrhizal fungi that your soil needs, we feel we can’t recommend any one mycorrhizal fungi treatment over another. They won’t do any harm, but it may not add to what is already in the soil.
If you have had trouble establishing roses in the past, it might be worth trying, but building up your soil’s fertility and health naturally, by adding plenty of organic matter, might be as effective.

 

I am happy to agree with this. Feed the soil, not the plants. Provide a rich environment to maximise soil life. Avoid contamination with chemicals, whether 'fertilisers' or biocides. Maintain sound structure and minimise disturbance. Your plants will be happy and so should you be.

 

I think the only real way of telling is pot growing with sterilised compost.
Add the fungi to one and not the other.

Obviously planting in the garden soil is always going to give inconclusive results.

 

Still going to be difficult in practical ways. Unless in laboratory sterile conditions, (Think Wuhan!), the need to provide clean media, containers, water, isolation from atmosphere and plant material or seeds, not to mention 'green fingers', and controls creates issues I would be unable or willing to resolve.
Finding which mycorrhizal fungi your plant responds to, is only the first problem.

 

I don't think I'll bother buying any this season with the rip-off prices

 

Well we only have one or maybe two fungi available to us.
I'm assuming laboratory test have been tried.

 

I use mycorrhizal fungi for germinating orchid seeds. Species will germinate only with their specific fungi partners - for example Dactylorrhiza need a different one to Ophrys. And they apparently will do better with another different fungus for later growth! So it's very specific, and I'm not convinced a generalised fungus mix would help everything.

 

An interesting ' chicken or egg' conundrum ?

 

Thanks for your link. By filtering by insertion of" vegetables "(my interest) returns 20,600 results. Could be gone awhile skim reading these...

 

So many questions & answers on this subject.
It may possibly work for plants grown in pots, does it work the same in garden soil/compost?
To be honest I will only believe it works if I trial this myself.
As for growing plants from seed, this can vary, no two seeds could be the same.
There again I could be talking rubbish

 

Oh, I have no doubts about the proposition of many plants utilising arbuscal MF to maximise their development; its clearly the marvellous mystery of nature, of which we yet know so little.
My cyniscism descends from 'marvellous snake oil ' properties of strange, unspecified dusts and potions, all of which may result in bountiful excesses limited merely by the depth of ones pocket.A little science is a dangerous thing.

 

thanks all

 

I've used it in the past to establish roses in difficult sites , one was where a old rose was worried about rose replant diseases. D.Austin roses cost quite a bit so to get them off to the best start possible in a difficult site was essential. Whether I'd use it again I am not sure really, I used it for planting a Cornus tree for a client where a cherry was the cornus is doing well , might of done just as well if I didn't use it .

I think the New thing now is Biochar. Not used it so can't comment on if its any good.

 

Hi Everyone

I bought Empathy After plant (especially for roses) with the fungi included ... smelt of seaweed

so see how that goes ... didnt cost much so hopefully help them settle in ...

it was a good thread plus I read a article on using a cardboard box if a rose had been planted in the same spot and removing the soil and put in the compost heap and then put the cardboard box in the hole so the new Rose roots are not cramped then fill with fresh compost and this gives the rose a head start and after a year the roots will start to go into the surrounding soil and wont have the problem of rose sickness from the soil ..

Spruce