Abstract
The Chinese black truffle Tuber indicum is commercially valuable. The main factors influencing the success or failure of a truffle crop include the mycorrhizal colonization rate and host plant quality. The effects of a plant growth regulator (uniconazole) and plant growth management technique (root-tip cutting) on T. indicum colonization rate and Pinus armandii seedling growth were assessed under greenhouse conditions. The results indicated that 10 mg l(-1) uniconazole or the combination of 5 mg l(-1) uniconazole and root-tip cutting constitutes an effective method for ectomycorrhizal synthesis based on an overall evaluation of colonization rate, plant biomass, plant height, root weight, stem circumference and antioxidant enzyme activities (SOD and POD) of P. armandii. The abundance of Proteobacteria in the rhizosphere of colonized seedlings might serve as an indicator of stable mycorrhizal colonization. This research inspires the potential application of uniconazole and root-tip cutting treatments for mycorrhizal synthesis and truffle cultivation.