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SUMMARYThe influence of ectomycorrhizal (ECM) development on the physiology of lohlolly pine {Pinus taeda L.) seedlings was examined during seedling recovery froni phosphorus (P) deficiency and for several weeks after seedlings had become P-sufficient. Seedlings inoculated with Pisolithus tinctorius (Pers.) Coker and Couch and non-inoculated seedlings responded similarly to an increase in P fertilization, except that nearly twice as niuch of the absorbed P in ECM seedlings remained in the fine-root system compared to the non-inoculated seedlings. Presumably, most of this P was associated with the ECM fungal hyphae. The presence of mycorrhizas initially caused a 1 -to 2-wk delay in the growth response of seedlings to P fertilization, possibly due to a restrictively slow rate of P transfer from the ECM fungus to the root. However, once seedlings had sufficient P for maximum growth, even high levels of mycorrhizal development (greater than 85 "") did not reduce the growth rate of ECM seedlings compared to non-mycorrhi'//al seedlings grown under the same high-nutrient conditions. Possible explanations are discussed as to why a growth reduction due to ECM development is found in some studies but not in others.

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