Phosphorus availability influences elemental uptake in the mycorrhizal fungus Glomus intraradices, as revealed by particle-induced X-ray emission analysis.

We investigated element accumulation in the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus Glomus intraradices. Fungal spores and mycelia growing in monoxenic cultures were analyzed. The elemental composition was quantified using particle-induced X-ray emission (PIXE) in combination with scanning transmission ion microscopy. In the spores, Ca and Fe were associated mainly with the spore wall, while P and K showed patchy distributions and their concentrations were correlated. Excess of P in the hyphal growth medium increased the P and Si concentrations in spores and increased the K/Ca ratio in spores. Increased P availability decreased the concentration of Zn and Mn in spores. We concluded that the availability of P influences the uptake and accumulation of several elements in spores. It is demonstrated that PIXE analysis is a powerful tool for quantitative analysis of elemental accumulation in fungal mycelia.