In vitro cultivation of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi offers unique advantages in the investigation of these obligate biotroph micro-oganisms. Non-destructive microscopic observations, reliable cell physiology studies, clean biochemical and molecular analyses, highly controlled interactions studies with other microorganisms and mass production, are amongst the applications made possible by this technique. In vitro cultivation of AM fungi can be achieved on root organs (i.e. excised or transformed roots), but also on autotrophic plants, which opens new research and application opportunities. Large scale industrial production of biologically clean AM inocula produced in vitro has also become a reality.

The CEnter of Study on AM Monoxenics of the Microbiology unit of the "Université catholique de Louvain" (Belgium) has made the in vitro cultivation of AMF its premium activity to elucidate various aspects, from genomic to functional, of the obligate biotrophic nature of these ubiquitous below-ground fungi.

Glomeromycota In vitro Collection

The Glomeromycota in vitro collection is the largest collection of AMF exclusively cultured in vitro at the service of the scientific community and industrial sector.

International Training on In Vitro Culture of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi

This training is addressed to scientists, technicians and industrials who aim at developing their research potential and the production of contaminant free AM inoculum.

CESAMM
GINCO-BEL

a. MUCL43194 (DAOM 197198), b. MUCL41833 in ROC culture.

International Training on In Vitro Culture of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi

Professor Stephan Declerck
CEnter of Study on AM Monoxenics

Université catholique de Louvain
Earth and Life Institute
Applied Microbiology
Laboratory of Mycology

Croix du Sud, 2 box L7.05.06
1348 Louvain-la-Neuve
BELGIUM

tel. : +32 10 47 46 44
fax : +32 10 45 15 01
e-mail: stephan.declerck@uclouvain.be