It has always been our endeavour to update our readers with the new additions that has been successfully made into our ever growing Culture Collection Bank.

We would like to acknowledge that we have shown a little inattention towards exhibiting one of the ensuing wealth of our collection. We intend to rectify our slip-up in this edition by showcasing the vast collection of Ectomycorrhiza (EcM ) well-maintained in our culture collection bank. An ectomycorrhizal (EcM) root is characterized by the presence of three structural components: a sheath or mantle of fungal tissue which encloses the root, a labyrinthine inward growth of hyphae between the epidermal and cortical cells called the Hartig net and an outwardly growing system of hyphal elements (the extraradical or external mycelium). The ectomycorrhizal (EcM) symbiosis involves association between plants and fungal taxa worldwide. Unlike arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, EcM fungi reproduce sexually and produce macroscopic fruit bodies. Field observations, collections and isolations from these fruit bodies have helped us in bringing together an amazing diversity of putatively EcM forming fungi from many taxonomically genera. Appended at the end of our write up is the list of available cultures that can be provided to the researchers whenever requested.

Once a request is placed, we generate and transport two small petriplates containing actively growing mycelial biomass. These cultures should then be subcultured and maintained with utmost care under sterile conditions. The methodology for doing so is as follows:

• Prepare fresh modified Melin-Norkrans (MMN) medium (composition appended below).


• Pour the media in the petriplates inside a laminar flow and leave them for a day under sterile condition.


• Subculture the mother culture plates received from TERI under sterile condition (laminar hood) into the new media plates.


• Sub-culturing can be done by cutting the mycelial discs from the corners/edges of the mother culture plate. The cutting should be such that both fresh mycelial mat along with media is removed. A cork borer can be used for the same.


• Place the culture disc into the fresh plate such that it touches the surface of the new media. Place two to three such discs into the new plates.


• Seal the plate with parafilm and place them in the BOD at 25-26 °C under dark condition.


• Keep checking every week till 15 to 20 days (depending on the growth of the culture) for re sub-culturing.

• Final volume: 1L MMN


• Use a graduated cylinder and measure 900 mL of distilled water (D.W.) into a 1L beaker.


• Put the beaker on a stir plate and while stirring add the following chemicals (use a pipet):


• Make the volume to one litre using D.W.


• Set the pH to 5.6.


• Add 8.0 gm/L of agar to the media.


• Autoclave the media at 121°C for 25 min.


• Routinely subculture it within 15 to 20 days.