Terrestrial orchids establish a relationship with fungi when germiate. Duw to their small size, they lack reserve substances and need a fungus to feed them, a relationship that can last the entire life of the orchid.
However, since most orchid species are epiphytic, are they able to start this relationship with fungi present in the surface of trees? Or does they obtain their nutrients from another source?
Salazar et al. (2020) and many authors before have described the role of endophytic fungi in epiphytic orchid seeds for their germination. The null germination have been observed for seeds without the fungus Coprinellus radians.
My colleagues applied such fungi to stimulate orchid seeds germination in vitro for commercial plant breeding at late 1980-s.
Salazar, Jazmin M., et al. "Endophytic fungi associated with roots of epiphytic orchids in two Andean forests in Southern Ecuador and their role in germination." Lankesteriana 20.1 (2020): 37-47.
Víctor González-García
Have a look at this useful link.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1319562X1730270X
Thanks!
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