Mychorrizal Fungi ... species specific?

My main query relates to whether mychorrizal fungi are able to be “transplanted” between different species and will they work just as effectively on that new species or is there specific fungi for each species.
I am most interested in whether the fungi will be as effective between different pine species. I have an Austrian pine (pinus nigra) that has a visibly comprehensive michorrizal population and I’m wondering whether I can/should innoculate my less populated JBPs with this fungi when I next repot.
Thanks in advance!

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There’s a lot of overlap in fungal symbionts among species of pines, and P. nigra and P. thunbergii are even in the same sub-group of pines. A small amount of soil could be used to inoculate the other, though I imagine this will probably happen on its own. Fungal spores are very good at dispersing.

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Pines benefit more from Ecto mychorrizal strains, compared to Endo mychorrizal. I have never read anything on specific strains for certain varities of trees other than above mentioned. When you buy mychorrizal inoculants they will usually have many different strains of either Endo or Ecto or some of both.

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Thanks for the info Brad, I guess it is worth inoculating although I do understand the fungi will make their way into the pot/root system by themselves - just giving them a helping hand! :wink:

Your input is also appreciated Kevin, I didn’t know about the ecto/endo differentiation so that gives me something to look into.
Cheers.

I don’t know if this helps, but a couple of years ago I dug a Blue Spruce standard out of one of our gardens. Around the root mass was a ton of mychorrizae. I grabbed a bunch of the soil with it, and added it to a Mugo Pine I was re-potting that afternoon, as well as a JWP I was re-potting. Both are doing extremely well. Not sure if that is related to the mychorrizae I re-used or just the trees themselves. But I will do the same in the future if I find natural mychorrizae in the soil.

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Thanks Bob … clearly it didn’t hurt, will definitely give it a shot!