Piranha Benefits:

Piranha strengthens the roots, leaves, and flowers, and improves biomass, flower, bulb and fruit yield. It increases efficiency of roots multifold and plays a key bioprotective role.

• Protects root tissue and expands the absorptive surface area of the roots (by as much as 700%). Also prevents root rot. Thus, it improves root nutrient and water uptake. Excretes powerful natural chemicals that increase nutrient availability and root water retention.

• Acts as a biocontrol agent to protect your plants against harmful pathogens, fungi and nematodes. Works as a foliar spray to protect plants against harmful fungi which attack leaves and flowers, such as Pythium, Rhizoctania solani, Fusarium, Botrytis cinerea (grey mold), Sclerotium rolfsii, and Sclerotinia homoeocarpa.

• Due to increase in nutrients, water and ability to resist diseases, Piranha leads to an increase in plant growth and yield, including biomass, flower production, bulb composition, leaf area and weight. That means bigger fruit, bigger vegetables and flowers for you!

• Mycorrhizal roots and bacteria associated with them in Piranha also play a key role by secreting plant growth hormones that cause the plants to grow.

• Increases plant tolerance to soil diseases and environmental, water and ground stress. Piranha reduces transplant shock and also protects plants from heavy metals in the soil.

Ingredients in Piranha

Piranha has the most powerful combination of endo- and ectomycorrhizal fungi that will produce better, safer and longer lasting plants for you. There are 16 different strains of mycorrhizal fungi in Piranha, including six super strains. Each of these strains is present in a very concentrated form, ensuring maximum availability to plants.

Trichoderma koningii
Trichoderma veride
Trichoderma hazarium
Trichoderma virens
Trichoderma longibrachiatum
Trichoderma asperellum

Glomus aggregatum
Glomus intraradices
  Glomus mosseae

Pisolithus tinctorius

Rhizopogon amylopogon
Rhizopogon fulvigleba
Rhizopogon villosuli
Rhizopogon rubescens

Scleroderma cepa
Scleroderma citrinum

Detailed explanation of how the ingredients work

Mycorrhizal Fungi
The word "mycorrhizae" literally means "fungus-roots" and defines the close mutually beneficial relationship between specialized soil fungi (mycorrhizal fungi) and plant roots. About 95% of the world’s land plants form the mycorrhizal relationship in their native habitats. It is estimated that mycorrhizal fungal filaments explore hundreds to thousands more soil volume compared to roots alone. The fungus gets food that the plant produces and the plant gets extra water and nutrients that the fungus absorbs and gives to the roots. This is an ancient symbiotic and synergistic relationship between the roots and fungi. Each depends on the other for increased ability to survive and grow. Did you know that such relationships between plants and fungi existed over 400 million years ago?
“Plant compatibility with mycorrhizal fungi is a generalized and ancient phenomenon. Species in >80% of extant plant families are capable of establishing arbuscular mycorrhiza (AM), and fossil evidence suggests that symbioses of this kind existed >400 million years ago in the tissues of the first land plants”. Pirozynski and Dalpe. (1989); Remy et al. (1994).

The earliest indications that ectotrophic mycorrhizae were of benefit to trees were shown in experiments where seedlings growing in soils without mycorrhizal fungi ceased growth after one or two years. When other seedlings with mycorrhizae were interplanted in the beds, the fungi spread through the soil and invaded the uninfected roots. Thereafter vigorous renewed growth occurred on the retarded seedlings.
“Through their function in the efficient exploitation of soil mineral resources and their bio-protective role against a number of common soilborne pathogens, mycorrhizas are instrumental in the survival and fitness of many plant taxa in diverse ecosystems, including many crop species”. Allen. (1991); Bethlenfalvay and Linderman. (1992)

In fact, the diversity of mycorrhizal fungi is a major factor in plant biodiversity and correct functioning of our ecosystem. Different plant species benefit to different extents from different AMF species. In experiments, it was shown that many plant species are completely dependent on the presence of MF to be successful in their environments.
“Our results emphasize the importance of the mycorrhizal symbiosis as a determinant of plant biodiversity, ecosystem variability and productivity. The loss of AMF biodiversity, which occurs in agricultural systems, could, therefore, decrease both plant biodiversity and ecosystem productivity while increasing ecosystem instability.” Nature. (1998). 396.

Piranha causes improved nutrient and water uptake in plants

Mycorrhizal fungi excrete powerful and natural chemicals that increase nutrient availability and root water retention, retard soil pathogens, and create a more aerated and porous soil structure. Mycorrhizal fungi expand the root’s surface area many, many times. They create a new root system for the plant that is a much larger network than the plant’s own roots. Piranha actually increases the surface area of the root by as many as 700 times. What does this mean for our plants? It means that the plant’s access to water and nutrients in increased several hundred-fold. This increases the efficiency and ability of the root to perform its functions in a super effective way. Chemical analyses of plant tissues have shown that plants with mycorrhizae may contain as much as 86 percent more nitrogen, 234 percent more phosphorus, and 75 percent more potassium than those without mycorrhizae. In recent years radioactive isotopes of several essential elements have been used to show their transfer by mycorrhizal fungi from the substrate into roots and their translocation throughout the plant. Mycorrhizae also accumulate greater amounts of phosphorus than do short roots with root hairs. E. Hacskaylo. (1957).
“The role of mycorrhizal fungi in acquisition of mineral nutrients by host plants is examined for three groups of mycorrhizas. These are; the ectomycorrhizas (ECM), the ericoid mycorrhizas (EM), and the vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizas (VAM). Mycorrhizal infection may affect the mineral nutrition of the host plant directly by enhancing plant growth through nutrient acquisition by the fungus, or indirectly by modifying transpiration rates and the composition of rhizosphere microflora. The external hyphae of VAM can deliver up to 80% of plant P, 25% of plant N, 10% of plant K, 25% of plant Zn and 60% of plant Cu. It is feasible that the external hyphae may provide a significant delivery system for N, K, Cu and Zn in addition to P in many soils. ECM and EM fungi produce ectoenzymes that provide host plants with the potential to access organic N and P forms that are normally unavailable to VAM fungi or to non-mycorrhizal roots.“ H. Marschner and B. Dell, 2006. Plant and Soil, 159 (1) 89 - 102

“In the past function of mycorrhizas has been examined at the level either of the isolated individual root or of the individual entire plant. It is shown here that ectomycorrhizal mycelial strands can extend from plant to plant, thus initiating infection in seedlings, and that the resulting fungal interconnections provide functional pathways for the transfer of labelled assimilate between individuals. Mycelial strands also provide a pathway for the transport of physiologically significant quantities of water. Strand functions are examined in relation to structure, and their role as morphological and physiological extensions of the root system is emphasized. The significance of the experimental observations is discussed in relation to nutrient cycling processes in natural ecosystems.” C. Brownlee et al. 2005. Plant and Soil, 71(1-3) 433-443

Root colonization by Trichoderma strains frequently enhances root growth and development, crop productivity, resistance to abiotic stresses and the uptake and use of nutrients. (Arora DK, Elander RP, Mukerji KG (eds). (1992). Handbook of applied mycology. Fungal Biotechnology, 4.)
“This field study was undertaken to determine the effect of inoculation with Glomus mosseae on N2 fixation and P uptake by soybean. The inoculation with Glomus mosseae was achieved using a new type of inoculant, alginate-entrapped (AE) endomycorrhizal fungus. N2 fixation was assessed using the A value method. In P-fertilized plots, inoculation with AEGlomus mosseae increased the harvest index based on dry weight (+20%) and N content of seeds (+17%), the A value (+31%) and %N derived from fixation (+75%). Inoculation with AEGlomus mosseae decreased the coefficient of variation for the A value and for the dry weights of the different plant parts.” F. Ganry, H. G. Diem ,and Y. R. Dommergues. (1982). Effect of inoculation with Glomus mosseae on nitrogen fixation by field grown soybeans. Plant and soil, 68(3), 321-329.

Making nutrients available by secreting organic acids

Plant nutrients, with the exception of nitrogen, are ultimately derived from weathering of primary minerals. Recent research suggests that ectomycorrhizal fungi mobilize other essential plant nutrients directly from minerals through excretion of organic acids. This enables ectomycorrhizal plants to utilize essential nutrients from insoluble mineral sources and affects nutrient cycling in forest systems. R Landeweert et al. (2001).Studies indicate that plants may have access to organic N sources. Laboratory studies have shown that ectomycorrhizal and ericoid mycorrhizal plants can degrade polymeric Nitrogen and absorb the resulting products. Näsholm et al. (2001). Gobert and Plassard, in 2002 also showed that Rhizopogon gave mycorrhizal plants a greater ability to use fluctuating concentrations of NO3- in the soil solution.

Piranha works in disease control and protects your plants Trichoderma is a potent biocontrol agent and used extensively for post-harvest disease control. It has been used successfully against various pathogenic fungi belonging to various genera, viz. Fusarium, Phytopthara, Sceleroti.a

• Biochemical Elicitors of Disease Resistance: Trichoderma strains are known to induce resistance in plants. Three classes of compounds that are produced by Trichoderma and induce resistance in plants are now known. These compounds induce ethylene production, hypersensitive responses and other defense related reactions in plant cultivates.

• Biocontrol by competition: Trichoderma can effectively compete with bacteria for resources in the growing medium and hence kill the germs that would otherwise affect the plant itself.

These root-fungus associations stimulate plant defensive mechanisms. Strains of Trichoderma added to the rhizosphere protect plants against numerous classes of pathogens.
“It has been shown recently that a decrease in the development of Phytophthora in mycorrhizal roots of tomato plants was associated with accumulation of phenolics and plant cell defence responses This is the first evidence of the induction of the systematic resistance by mycorrhiza formation. Arbuscule containing cells were immune to the pathogen, and the systemically induced resistance in non-mycorrhizal root parts was characterized by elicitation of wall thickenings in reaction to the intercellular hyphae of the pathogen and by the formation of callose-rich material around hyphae penetrating root cells. None of these reactions were observed in the non-mycorrhizal pathogen-infected root systems. Reductions in root damage and in the development of the pathogen in the non-mycorrhizal tissues of mycorrhizal systems in comparison to roots of non-mycorrhizal plants were produced as a consequence of this systemic response.”

Cordier et al. (1998).

“The organism (trichoderma) is also highly effective when applied to blossoms or fruits for control of B. cinerea.   Even low levels of the organism applied to strawberry blossoms by bee delivery or by sprays of liquid formulations are effective. For maximum control of the Botrytis bunch rot of grape, this initial application needs to be augmented by sprays as fruits mature, and addition of iprodione as a tank mix to this late application appears to have synergistic activity over either the biocontrol agent or the chemical fungicide alone.”

Gary E. Harman. (1996). Cornell Community. Conference on Biological Control.

“Trichoderma spp. have been widely used as antagonistic fungal agents against several pests as well as plant growth enhancers. Faster metabolic rates, anti-microbial metabolites, and physiological conformation are key factors that chiefly contribute to antagonism of these fungi. Mycoparasitism, spatial and nutrient competition, antibiosis by enzymes and secondary metabolites, and induction of plant defence system are typical biocontrol actions of these fungi.”

M Verma et al. (2007). Biochemical Engineering Journal, 37.

“Biological control agents for plant diseases are currently being examined as alternatives to synthetic pesticides due to their perceived increased level of safety and minimal environmental impacts. Fungal biological control agents have several mechanisms of action that allow them to control pathogens, including mycoparasitism, production of antibiotics or enzymes, competition for nutrients and the induction of plant host defences.”

T A Brimner and G J Boland. (2003). Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment, 100(1).

Some Trichoderma spp. produce highly efficient siderophores that chelate iron and stop the growth of other fungi. (Chet I, Inbar J. (1994). Biological control of fungal pathogens. Appl Biochem Biotechnol, 48, 37-43.)
“The advantage of using Trichoderma to control B. cinerea is the coordination of several mechanisms at the same time, thus making it practically impossible for resistant strains to appear. Among these mechanisms, the most important is nutrient competition, since B. cinerea is particularly sensitive to the lack of nutrients. Trichoderma has a superior capacity to mobilize and take up soil nutrients compared to other organisms.”

Chet I, Inbar J, Hadar I. (1997). Fungal antagonists and myco parasites. Wicklow DT, Söderström B (eds). The Mycota IV: Environmental and microbial relationships, pp 165-184.

The ability of Trichoderma strains to protect plants against root pathogens is due to an antagonistic effect against the invasive pathogen. (Chet I, Inbar J, Hadar I. (1997). Fungal antagonists and mycoparasites. In: Wicklow DT, Söderström B (eds). The Mycota IV: Environmental and microbial relationships, pp 165-184.)
T. harzianum T35 controls Fusarium oxysporum by competing for both rhizosphere colonization and nutrients, with biocontrol becoming more effective as the nutrient concentration decreases. (Tjamos EC, Papavizas GC, Cook RJ (eds). (1992). Biological control of plant diseases. Progress and challenges for the future.)
Biocontrol by T. Harzianum
Biocontrol of foliar diseases is an alternative means of management of foliar pathogens. T. harzianum controls the foliar pathogens, Botrytis cinerea, Pseuperonospora cubensis, Sclerotinia sclerotiorum and Sphaerotheca fusca in cucumber under commercial greenhouse conditions. Control efficacy was similar for three different rates (covering a fourfold range). Involvement of locally and systemically induced resistance has been demonstrated. T. harzianum applied to the roots, and dead cells applied to the leaves of cucumber plants induced control of powdery mildew. It suppressed enzymes of B. cinerea, such as pectinases, cutinase, glucanase and chitinase, through the action of protease secreted on plant surfaces. A combination of several modes of action is responsible for biocontrol. (Y. Elad. (2000). Biological control of foliar pathogens by means of Trichoderma harzianum and potential modes of action, Crop Protection,19 (8-10), 709-714.
Trichoderma virens has been used in field control of cotton seedling diseases and found to be effective when used along with the usual fungicides. (Howell et al. (1997). Journal of Cotton Science.)
Effective biocontrol strains of Trichoderma virens can induce the production of defense-related compounds, such as terpenoids, proteinases and peroxidases in the roots of cotton. (Hansen and Howell. (2004). Phytopathology.)
Trichoderma virens releases the herbicidal compound, viridiol which helps in effective management of weeds. (Héraux et al. 2005) T. asperellum
Trichoderma asperellum is a mycoparasitic fungus which is used as a biocontrol agent against plant pathogens. Its hydrolytic enzymes take part in its parasitic interaction, degrading the pathogen cell wall and kill the pathogen, thereby helping to control disease. (Ofir Ramot, Ada Viterbo, Dana Friesem, Amos Oppenheim, Ilan Chet. (2004). Regulation of two homodimer hexosaminidases in the mycoparasitic fungus Trichoderma asperellum by glucosamine. Biomedical and Life Sciences, 45(4), 205-213.)
The strain of Trichoderma asperellum T34(2) CECT No.20417 is useful for biological control of vascular fusariose and death of plants caused by Rhizoctonia solani. This strain can suppress both Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici and Rhizoctonia solani. Another advantage is that the use of methyl bromide, a highly harmful product for the environment, in the control of vascular fusariose is avoided. (Trillas Gay, María Isabel, Cotxarrera Vilaplana, María Lurdes. (2003). Substrates Containing A Trichoderma Asperellum Strain For Biological Control Of Fusarium And Rhizoctonia.)
Most studies on the reduction of disease incidence in soil treated with T. asperellum have focused on microbial interactions in the soil rather than on plant responses. The following study was conducted in a controlled hydroponic environment, and shows conclusive evidence that there is an induction of a systemic response against angular leaf spot of cucumber after application of T. asperellum to the root system. T. asperellum actually stimulates the plants such that they make new molecules, which help them fight the disease very effectively. “Disease symptoms were reduced by as much as 80%, corresponding to a reduction of 2 orders of magnitude in bacterial cell densities in leaves of plants pretreated with T. asperellum. As revealed by electron microscopy, bacterial cell proliferation in these plants was halted. .. the accumulation of secondary metabolites of a phenolic nature that showed an increase of up to sixfold in inhibition capacity of bacterial growth in vitro. The results suggest that T. asperellum may activate separate metabolic pathways in cucumber that are involved in plant signaling and biosynthesis, eventually leading to the systemic accumulation of phytoalexins.”
Iris Yedidia, Michal Shoresh, Zohar Kerem, Nicole Benhamou, Yoram Kapulnik, and Ilan Chet. (2003). Concomitant Induction of Systemic Resistance to Pseudomonas syringae pv. lachrymans in Cucumber by Trichoderma asperellum (T-203) and Accumulation of Phytoalexins. Appl Environ Microbiol, 69(12), 7343–7353.

This species has been found to be effective in protecting plants from various diseases, such as southern blight disease of corn.
“Two simple formulations of an antagonistic strain of Trichoderma koningii were employed against southern blight disease caused by Sclerotium rolfsii in seedling, potted outdoor and field-grown tomatoes. Corn cob germling inoculum and mycelium powder of T. koningii significantly controlled (P=0·05) symptoms of damping off, blight and wilting in both tomato cultivars. The populations of the antagonist increased from an initial 1 × 104 to about 1 × 106 colony-forming units per g of soil in the protected plants. Moreover, sclerotial counts decreased significantly (P=0·05) in these soils and those sclerotia found had been parasitized by T. koningii. Trichoderma-protected plants were more vigorous than those in the other treatment categories.”

A.O. Latunde-Dada. (1993). Biological control of southern blight disease of tomato caused by Sclerotium rolfsii with simplified mycelial formulations of Trichoderma koningii. Plant Pathology, 42 (4), 522–529. T. koningii has also been used effectively in treating tomato seeds to protect them from against Sclerotium rolfsii damping off in the greenhouse. After each storage period, Trichoderma-treated seed gave significantly greater seedling counts of plants than uncoated control seeds. (Tsahouridou P.C., Thanassoulopoulos C.C. (2002). Proliferation of Trichoderma koningii in the tomato rhizosphere and the suppression of damping-off by Sclerotium rolfsii. Soil Biology and BioChemistry, 34(6), 767-776(10).
T. viride
T. viride can be used instead of using chemical agents to control diseases in plants.
“Isolates of Trichoderma were tested for their ability to control Rhizoctonia solani in lettuce seedlings and mature plants in a glasshouse. The best isolate (T. viride IMI 298375) was tested for its ability to control bottom rot disease in mature lettuce plants grown in polythene tunnels.. Evidence was obtained to suggest that enhanced growth of lettuce plants following treatment with Trichoderma can produce marketable yields of lettuce similar to those obtained with tolclofos-methyl.”
J. R. Coley-Smith, C. J. Ridout, Christine M. Mitchell, J. M. Lynch. (1991). Control of bottom rot disease of lettuce (Rhizoctonia solani) using preparations of Trichoderma viride, T. harzianum or tolclofos-methyl. Plant Pathology, 40 (3), 359–366.

Scleroderma citrinum has been used extensively in biocontrol of pathogens, and insects.
“In this study the fruiting body of basidiomycete S. citrinum was investigated for its insecticidal property against third instar Mythimna separata. At 25.0 mg/ml, the antifeeding rates of chloroform-methanol total extract of S. citrinum and its petroleum ether were extractable against M. separata were 96.8 and 81.3%, respectively, in 48 h, but the antifeedant activity of both chloroform and n-butanol extracts was weak. The petroleum ether portion showed strong toxicity to third instar M. separata in 48 h with the corrective mortality of more than 80% at 10.0 mg/ml and exhibited contact toxicity against the same insect in 7 days with the contact toxicity of less than 60% at 25.0 mg/ml.” Wei Yan, Gao JinMing, Hao ShuangHong, Zhang Xing. (2005). Insecticidal activity of basidiomycete Scleroderma citrinum. 25(2), 382-385.

Protection against nematodes

Glomus species of fungi have been shown in lab studies to protect plants very effectively against nematodes.
“Three species of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi, Glomus aggregatum Schenck and Smith emend. Koske, Glomus intraradices Schenck and Smith, and Glomus mosseae (Nicol. and Gerd.) Gerdemann and Trappe, were evaluated for their effectiveness to suppress the plant parasitic nematode Meloidogyne incognita (Kofoid and White) Chitwood in white clover (Trifolium repens L.) in a greenhouse study. ..Growth of white clover was significantly stimulated by mycorrhizal colonization, and nematodes caused the greatest damage when plants were not colonized by the fungi. The degree to which mycorrhizal fungi reduced nematode damage varied with the species of mycorrhizal fungus; the extent of damage reduction ranged from 19 to 49.8%, based on loss of shoot mass.”
M. Habte, Y. C. Zhang, and D. P. Schmitt Can. J. Bot. (1999). Effectiveness of Glomus species in protecting white clover against nematode damage. 77(1), 135–139.
“Micropropagated plants of the plum (Prunus insititia) rootstock AD 101 adapted to heavy and calcareous soils were inoculated with Glomus mosseae and Glomus intraradices in a pasteurized sandy soil-sphagnum peat mixture (5:1,v/v). Plant development, measured as height and stem diameter, was significantly increased by both mycorrhizal inoculation treatments compared with noninoculated plants after 6, 9 and 18 months growth. When plants were 18 months-old, they were transplanted to a replant soil infested with nematodes, pasteurized and not pasteurized, under open air microplot conditions, and harvested 9 months later. Glomus intraradices achieved a higher percentage of root colonization than G. mosseae in pasteurized replant soil, but both inoculation treatments were still significantly effective at increasing plant biomass 30 months after plant inoculation. The number of nematodes per gram root was significantly lower in plants inoculated with both Glomus species than in plants naturally infected.”
Hernandez-Dorrego et al., 1999. Growth response of the plum rootstock AD 101 to mycorrhizal inoculation with Glomus mosseae and Glomus intraradices in a replant soil infested with nematodes.

Glomus aggregatum and Glomus intraradices increase resistance to pathogens
“Effects of the VAM, GLOMUS aggregatum Schenck and Smith emend Koske on the lethal yellowing disease of Java citronella (Cymbopogon winterianus Jowitt) caused by Pythium aphanidermatum (Edson) Fitzp. and its interaction with the pathogen affecting plant growth, biomass production, N, P and K concentrations and acid phosphatase activity were investigated under glasshouse conditions…Colonization by the VAM fungus enhanced biomass, N, P and K concentrations and acid phosphatase activity over the non VAM control. It is concluded that G. aggregatum improves the biomass production and reduces the damaging effect of P. aphanidermatum on Java citronella.”
Ratti N; Kumar S; Verma HN; Gautam SP. (2001). Improvement in bioavailability of tricalcium phosphate to Cymbopogon martinii var. motia by rhizobacteria, AMF and Azospirillum inoculation. Microbiological Research, 156(2), 145-149.
“The interaction between the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus Glomus mosseae and the two pod rot pathogens Fusarium solani and Rhizoctonia solani and subsequent effects on growth and yield of peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) plants were investigated in a greenhouse over a 5-month period. At plant maturity, inoculation with F. solani and/or R. solani significantly reduced shoot and root dry weights, pegs and pod number and seed weight of peanut plants. In contrast, the growth response and biomass of peanut plants inoculated with G. mosseae was significantly higher than that of non-mycorrhizal plants, both in the presence and absence of the pathogens. Plants inoculated with G. mosseae had a lower incidence of root rot, decayed pods, and death than non-mycorrhizal ones. The pathogens either alone or in combination reduced root colonization by the mycorrhizal fungus. Propagule numbers of each pathogen isolated from pod shell, seed, carpophore, lower stem and root were significantly lower in mycorrhizal plants than in the nonmycorrhizal plants. Thus, G. mosseae protected peanut plants from infection by pod rot fungal pathogens.”
Abdalla ME; Abdel-Fattah GM. (2000). Influence of the endomycorrhizal fungus Glomus mosseae on the development of peanut pod rot disease in Egypt. Mycorrhiza, 10(1), 29-35.
“The effect of the mycorrhizal fungus Glomus intraradices on disease development caused by Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. dianthi in the nonmycorrhizal species Dianthus caryophyllus was studied by co-culture of carnation plants with the mycorrhizal species Tagetes patula. Presence of VAM T. patula plants more than doubled the survival of D. caryophyllus, significantly reduced the disease symptoms, and decreased F. o. dianthi propagules by 4:1 in soil. Non-VAM T. patula plants had no effect. Dianthus caryophyllus shoot biomass was reduced by F, o. dianthi in non-VAM controls but was not affected in presence of G. intraradices.The presence of G. intraradices clearly reduced the disease caused by F. o. dianthi in D. caryophyllus. Reduction in disease severity was associated with reduced F. o. dianthi propagule number in the substrate and was clearly unrelated to plant nutrition. Our results may be explained either by the induction of D. caryophyllus disease resistance mechanisms by the mycorrhizal fungus or by direct or indirect microbial interactions in the soil.”
StArnaud, M; Hamel, C; Vimard, B; Caron, M; Fortin, JA., Can. J. Bot. (1997). Inhibition of Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. dianthi in the non-VAM species Dianthus caryophyllus by co-culture with Tagetes patula companion plants colonized by Glomus intraradices. 75(6), 998-1005.
“We examined the influence of an arbuscular-mycorrhizal fungus, Glomus intraradices, on black foot disease caused by the fungus Cylindrocarpon macrodidymum on Vitis rupestris cv. St. George under controlled conditions. Eight months following inoculation with the pathogen, we evaluated disease severity, vine growth, and mycorrhizal colonization. Mycorrhizal plants developed significantly less leaf and root symptoms than nonmycorrhizal plants. Thus, V. rupestris preinoculated with G. intraradices were less susceptible to black foot disease than nonmycorrhizal plants. Results from this study suggest that preplant applications of G. intraradices may help prevent black foot disease in the nursery and in the vineyard.”
Petit Elsa, Gubler Walter Douglas. (2006). Influence of Glomus intraradices on black foot disease caused by Cylindrocarpon macrodidymum on Vitis rupestris under controlled conditions. Plant disease, 90(12), 1481-1484.

Glomus intraradices plus Trichoderma harzianum to control root rot and pathogens
“Field experiments were conducted to evaluate commercial formulations of two beneficial fungi, Trichoderma harzianum and Glomus intraradices, for the control of Fusarium crown and root rot of tomato, caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. radicis-lycopersici…Compared to the controls, significant decreases in disease incidence were obtained with treatments of T. harzianum (1993), G. intraradices (1991), and T. harzianum + G. intraradices (both years). Significant decreases in disease severity were obtained with the treatments of T. harzianum (1993), G. intraradices (1991), and T. harzianum + G. intraradices (1993). These data suggest that commercial biological control agents may be effective in reducing Fusarium crown and root rot and that further evaluation of these agents is justified. Fusarium crown and root-rot of tomato in Florida using Trichoderma-harzianum and Glomus intraradices. Biological control, 5, 427-431.

Piranha causes increased growth and yield in plants

We have just shown that Piranha increases the nutrient and water absorption capacity in your plants. It also effectively protects your plants from pathogens, nematodes, root rot and more. So the plants have more water, more nutrients and can fight diseases better. What does this lead to? This leads to an increase in growth and yield in your hydroponics garden. The following research studies prove that the fungi work with all plants to increase the root, shoot, leaf area, biomass, dry weight, bulb composition, flower and fruit production and more. The following study was done in hydroponic growth conditions and therefore is of significance to us. The presence of T. harzianum has been shown to induce a terrific growth response in cucumber plants. It has been directly correlated with increase in root, shoot, leaf area, dry weight, increase in P, Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn and Na concentrations in roots and shoots.
“The potential of the biocontrol agent Trichoderma harzianum strain T-203 to induce a growth response in cucumber plants was studied in soil and under axenic hydroponic growth conditions. When soil was amended with T. harzianum propagules, a 30% increase in seedling emergence was observed up to 8 days after sowing. On day 28, these plants exhibited a 95 and 75% increase in root area and cumulative root length, respectively, and a significant increase in dry weight (80%), shoot length (45%) and leaf area (80%). Similarly, an increase of 90 and 30% in P and Fe concentration respectively, was observed in T. harzianum inoculated plants. To better characterize the effect of T. harzianum during the early stages of root colonization, experiments were carried out in a gnotobiotic hydroponic system. An increased growth response was apparent as early as 5 days post-inoculation with T. harzianum, resulting in an increase of 25 and 40% in the dry weight of roots and shoots, respectively. Similarly a significant increase in the concentration of Cu, P, Fe, Zn, Mn and Na was observed in inoculated roots. In the shoots of these plants, the concentration of Zn, P and Mn increased by 25, 30 and 70%, respectively. Using the axenic hydroponic system, we showed that the improvement of plant nutritional level may be directly related to a general beneficial growth effect of the root system following T. harzianum inoculation. This phenomenon was evident from 5 days post-inoculation throughout the rest of the growth period, resulting in biomass accumulation in both roots and shoots.”
Iris Yedidia, Alok K Srivastva, Yoram Kapulnik and Ilan Chet. (2001). Effect of Trichoderma harzianum on microelement concentrations and increased growth of cucumber plants. Plant and Soil, 235 (2), 235-242.

In field trials, T. koningii applied to the seed furrow increased the yield of spring wheat by 65% and reduced crown root infection by G. graminis var. tritici on winter wheat by 40%. (Duffy and Weller. D.M. (1996). Combination of Trichoderma koningii with fluorescent pseudomonads for control of talk-all on wheat. Plant diseases, 86(2), 188-194.) A study examined the effect of Glomus intraradices, an arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungus, on soybean host in five benchmark soils. Glomus intraradices increased, with a few exceptions, shoot dry weight, root length, shoot phosphorus, and shoot zinc in all soils. (Frey and Ellis, Can. J. Bot. Rev. (1997). Relationship of soil properties and soil amendments to response of Glomus intraradices and soybeans, 75(3), 483-491.)
“This paper reports the effects of inoculation with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi on early plant development, field establishment, and crop yield of the olive (Olea europaea L.) cultivar Arbequina. Pre-inoculation with selected arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi prior to transplanting in the field improved plant growth and crop yield up to three years after inoculation. G. intraradices was more efficient at promoting plant growth than both G. mosseae and the native endophytes present in the orchard soil. Inoculation at the time of transplanting enhanced early plant growth in all the field situations studied. Early inoculation of olive seedlings enhances early plant development and crop productivity of olive trees.”
Estaun, V; Camprubi, A; Calvet, C; Pinochet, J. (2003). Nursery and field response of olive trees inoculated with two Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi, Glomus intraradices and Glomus mosseae. Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science, 128(5), 767-775.

Effect of G. intraradices on flower production and bulb composition
“We assessed whether adding inoculum of the vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus (VAMF) Glomus intraradices into growing medium of three Zephyranthes spp. alters aspects of flower and bulb production. Shoots of inoculated plants emerged 7-13 d earlier than those of non-inoculated plants. Inoculated YZL flowered 4-11 d earlier than non-inoculated plants. The number of flowers produced by YZL was consistently increased by inoculation, while the inoculation with VAMF increased flower production by WRL and PFL only when plants were growing in pasteurized soil. Leaf biomass of inoculated WRL was larger than non-inoculated plants..Inoculation increased the combined weight of bulbs and offsets at the end of the second growing cycle by 50-150%. Inoculated YZL and WRL consistently produced more offsets in the second growing season after inoculation. Adding VAMF into the growing medium of Zephyranthes altered aspects of plant development and biomass partitioning important to flower and bulb production during the first growing cycle after inoculation, and most effects of VAMF inoculation are more pronounced in the second growing cycle after inoculation.”
Scagel, CF. (2004). Soil pasteurization and inoculation with Glomus intraradices alters flower production and bulb composition of Zephyranthes spp. Journal of Horticultural Science & Biotechnology. 78(6), 798-812.

Glomus species shown to increase biomass, shoot length, area and survival of plants
“Palmarosa (Cymbopogon martinii var. motia) was found to be associated with a vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal (VAM) fungus, Glomus aggregatum. Glasshouse experiments showed that inoculation of palmarosa with G. aggregatum caused a two-fold and three-fold biomass production as compared to non-mycorrhizal plants. These findings indicate the potential use of VAM-fungi for improving the production of this essential oil bearing plant.”
Gupta ML; Janardhanan KK. (1991). Mycorrhizal Association of Glomus-Aggregatum with Palmarosa Enhancesgrowth and Biomass. Plant and Soil, 131(2), 261-263.
“Tropical legumes from fallowed areas in Senegal were inoculated with a tropical strain of Glomus aggregatum to test their relative mycorrhizal dependency in a greenhouse experiment. Twelve species among the seventeen tested showed a significant growth increase when mycorrhizal. Their mycorrhizal dependency varied from 92.7% for Indigofera stenophylla to 26.2% for Prosopis julifora. A significant positive correlation was found between mycorrhizal dependency and root hair length. The results confirm the high mycorrhizal dependency of legumes which are economically very important in the restoration of soil fertility of fallowed areas in the Sahelian and Soudano-Sahelian zones.”
Duponnois R; Plenchette C; Ba AM. (2001). Growth stimulation of seventeen fallow leguminous plants inoculated with Glomus aggregatum in Senegal. European Journal of Soil Biology, 37(3), 181-186.
“A 12-week greenhouse experiment was undertaken to test the efficiency of inoculation of vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi on four apple (Malus domestica Borkh) rootstock cultivars: M.26, Ottawa 3 (Ott.3), P.16, and P.22. Inoculation treatments were Glomus aggregatum Shenck and Smith emend. Koske, G. intraradix Shenck and Smith, and two isolates of G. versiforme (Karsten) Berch, one originally from California (CAL) and the other one from Oregon (OR).Mycorrhizal plants were taller, produced more biomass, and had a higher leaf P concentration than the uninoculated control plants. Mycorrhizal inoculation also significantly increased the leaf surface area of 'M.26' and 'Ott.3' compared to the control…growth enhancement due to mycorrhizal inoculation was attributed to improved P nutrition.
Morin F; Fortin JA; Hamel C; Granger RL; Smith DL. (1994). Apple Rootstock Response to Vesicular-Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi in a High Phosphorus Soil. Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science, 119(3), 578-583.

Eucalyptus tereticornis at the root initiation stage were inoculated in vitro with various AMF fungi. Plantlets with mycorrhizas formed by one of the local isolates of P. tinctorius were transplanted to the nursery where their growth significantly exceeded that of non-mycorrhizal plants (Reddy and Satyanarayana, 1998) Researchers in Guatemala have shown that Rhizopogon significantly improved the performance of pines when outplanted compared to all other treatments that they experimented with. (R Flores, MC Bran, M Honrubia. (2001). Mushrooms of the west highland of Guatemala. Edible mycorrhizal mushrooms and their cultivation- … on Edible Mycorrhizal Mushrooms.)
“Sporocarps of Rhizopogon luteolus Fr. & Nordh. and R. roseolus (Corda ex Sturm) Fr. have been regularly collected in nurseries, mixed Pinus pinea L. stands and other conifer forests in Catalonia (northeastern Spain). The capability of both fungal species to form ectomycorrhizas with containerized P. pinea seedlings has been tested using spore suspensions…. Compared to non inoculated plants, the inoculation with R. luteolus and R. roseolus produced a significant increment of N and P contents. After outplanting.…differences in mortality, related to the substrate used during nursery production and the inoculation with Rhizopogon sp., has been observed during the first year. In some sites, plants inoculated with R. roseolus grew better than non inoculated plants.” Rincon, Ana, Isabel F.Alvarez, Javier Parladé & Joan Pera. (2001) Nursery grown Pinus pinea seedlings inoculated with Rhizopogon spp. for reforestation in the Mediterranean area. Mycorrhiza, 11(6).

In a successful field mycorrhization experiment, data obtained from the measured variables, such as height, root collar diameter, leaf area, amount and type of chlorophylls, carbohydrate content and fluorescence in leaves, indicate that the inoculated seedlings, in many cases, were in better condition than the control ones. The inoculum used Scleroderma citrinum was the best suited fungus for Q. pyrenaica and F. sylvatica. (Miren Duñabeitia, Nerea Rodríguez, Isabel Salcedo, and Esti Sarrionandia. (2004). Field mycorrhization and its influence on the establishment and development of the seedlings in a broadleaf plantation in the Basque Country. Forest Ecology and Management, 195, 1-2, 129-139.)
Efficacy of Scleroderma cepa was studied in three stands of young, middle-aged, and rotation age plantations of Pinus taeda and Eucalyptus dunnii, Overall, species of Scleroderma and Laccaria were not only the most abundant but also had the highest biomass values. (Admir J. Giachini , Luiz A. B. Souza and Vetúria L. Oliveira . (2004). Mycorrhiza, 14).

Mycorrhizae release plant growth hormones in the soil

Mycorrhizal roots secrete plant growth hormones like auxins, cytokinins, gibberellins and growth regulators. These help the roots and the plant to grow better and give more yield. (K. G. Mukerji et al, 2002. Techniques in Mycorrhizal Studies, 435-441, Kluwer Academic Publishers.)
Mycorrhiza produce plant growth hormones- (E. Hacskaylo, 1972, Bioscience)
Cytokinins are produced by almost all ectomycorrhizae. (Miller, 1971)
Auxins are produced by the mycorrhizal fungus and this has been known for a very long time. (Slankis, 1951)
P. tinctorius and forest floor microbes also produce compounds that stimulate plant growth including auxins, cytokinins and gibberellins.
(Gruen, H E. 1959 Auxins and fungi. Annual Review of plant physiology 10; Ulrich,J M, 1960 Auxin production by mycorrhizal fungi. Physiologia plantarum: 13)
Cytokinins are produced by the Rhizopogon species. (Laloue and Hall, 1973. Cytokinins in Rhizopogon roseolus. Plant physiology 51)
Cytokinins are produced by various mycorrhizal fungi. (Crafts and Miller, 1974, Detection and identification of cytokinins produced by mycorrhizal fungi. Plant physiology 54; Ng P P et al., 1982. Cytokinin production by ectomycorrhizal fungi. New Phytologist, 91)

Piranha helps plants respond to water and ground stress

Several studies have shown that mycorrhizal fungi help plants greatly to respond to water, ground and environmental stress. They help plants resist drought conditions easily.
Trichoderma strains solubilize phosphates and micronutrients. The application of Trichoderma strains with plants such as grasses increases the number of deep roots, thereby increasing the plant’s ability to resist drought.

Glomus helps plants respond better to low phosphorus conditions and water stress

The following studies show that Glomus aggregatum helps plants absorb phosphorus more effectively. This leads to an increase in productivity and biomass of the plants.
“Responses of bell peppers (Capsicum annuum L.) to inoculation with the vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus (VAMF) Glomus aggregatum (Schenck and Smith emend Koske) were examined under greenhouse and field conditions…Tissue P concentrations increased more rapidly after transplanting when seedlings were inoculated at seedling than when inoculation was delayed until transplanting. In the field, total fruit yields and final shoot fresh weight also were higher when transplants were inoculated before transplanting. Water stress reduced fruit yields of plants growing in P-deficient soil less if they were inoculated than if they were not inoculated.”
Waterer DR, Coltman RR. (1989). Response of mycorrhizal bell peppers to inoculation timing, phosphorus, and water stress. HortScience, 24(4), 688-690.
“..Inoculation of soil with the fungus Glomus aggregatum (Schenck & Smith emend. Koske) significantly increased VAM colonization of pineapple roots at soil solution P levels of 0.003 and 0.02 mg/L. VAM inoculation also increased mycorrhizal effectiveness measured six weeks after planting. At harvest, pineapple grown in the inoculated soil at the lowest P level had significantly higher D-leaf P concentration and plant fresh weight than that grown in the uninoculated soil.”
Aziz T, Yuen Je, Habte M. (1991). Response of pineapple to mycorrhizal inoculation and fosetyl-al treatment. Communications in soil science and plant analysis, 21(19-20), 2309-2317.
“The interactive effects of phosphate solubilizing bacteria, N-2 or fixing bacteria and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) were studied in a low phosphate alkaline soil amended with tricalcium insoluble source of inorganic phosphate on the growth of an aromatic grass palmarosa (Cymbopogon martinii)…This study indicates that all microbes inoculated together help in the uptake of tricalcium phosphate which is otherwise not used by the plants and their addition at 200 mg kg-1 of soil gave higher productivity to palmarosa plants.”
Gupta ML, Janardhanan KK. (1991). Mycorrhizal association of glomus-aggregatum with palmarosa enhances growth and biomass. Plant and soil,131(2), 261-263.

Pisolithus is very useful in reclamation and reforestation of disturbed and poor soils, such as strip mines. It can survive low pH (high acidity), high concentrations of heavy metals, and high soil temperatures in the summer, along with the accompanying drought. It is also useful in the restrictive environment of nurseries.
“Ability to utilize insoluble form of P by different isolates of ectomycorrhizal Pisolithus tinctorius (E3418, M270, Pt441 and P53) was observed from their growth on agar plates containing insoluble P (tricalcium phosphate). Inorganic P solubilizing efficiency and surface-bound and extra-cellular phosphatase activities were also measured in pure cultures…Dry matter production, and N and P contents were significantly higher in P. tinctorius-inoculated A. mangium seedlings when compared to uninoculated seedlings.”
Jayakumar P, Tan T. K. (2005). Mycology and Plant Pathology Laboratory. Department of Biological Sciences, 39(3), 125-130.

Tolerance to heavy metals

Heavy metal tolerance has been widely reported in herbaceous plants and trees growing on spoil heaps of old metal mines; recently it has been found that tolerance may vary with mycorrhizal status. Experiments in controlled conditions with seedlings of birch, pine and spruce have usually shown that mycorrhizal associations with species of Amanita, Paxillus, Pisolithus, Rhizopogon, Scleroderma and Suillus decrease the toxicity of zinc, copper, nickel and aluminium. The presence of mycorrhizas decreases metal accumulation in shoots. (Wilkins, DA. 1991. The influence of sheathing (ecto) mycorrhizas of trees on the uptake and toxicity of metals. Agriculture ecosystems and environment. 35(2-3)245-260.)
Rhizopogon has been significantly shown to increase resistance to drought, several fold as shown in the following two papers.
“Experiments were conducted to test the relative ability of mycorrhizal and non-mycorrhizal Douglas-fir seedlings to tolerate and recover from drought conditions, using reduction in CO2 fixation as an overall indicator of plant moisture stress. Seedlings were watered daily or conditioned to cyclic drying and re-wetting of the soil. Net photosynthetic rates of mycorrhizal and non-mycorrhizal seedlings watered daily did not differ significantly; however, drought-stressed mycorrhizal seedlings fixed CO2 at a rate ten times that of non-mycorrhizal seedlings. ..Seedlings inoculated with Rhizopogon vinicolor were less affected by drought than any of the other mycorrhizal or non-mycorrhizal treatments. Net photosynthetic rate of Rhizopogon-inoculated seedlings 24 h following re-watering was seven times that of non-mycorrhizal seedlings. The transpiration rate of Rhizopogon-inoculated seedlings was low before desiccation, declined rapidly during the drought period and, after re-watering, quickly resumed a rate higher than that for other treatments.
Parke JL, Linderman RG, Black CH. (1983). The Role of Ectomycorrhizas in drought tolerance of douglas-fir seedlings. New Phytol, 95:83-95
“Douglas fir [Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco] seedlings were inoculated with different species of ectomycorrhizal fungi, Rhizopogon vinicolor FSL788-5, Laccaria laccata S238-A, or Hebeloma crustuliniforme HeCr2, to determine how different fungi affect the response of photosynthesis and water relations of seedlings to drying soil…Rhizopogon enhanced both net photosynthesis rate and stomatal conductance compared to non-mycorrhizal controls (P < 0.01) over the soil water potential range of -0.05 to -0.50 MPa, despite 0.2 to 0.3 MPa lower leaf water potential.
Dosskey MG, Boersma L, Linderman RG. (1991). Role for the photosynthate demand of ectomycorrhizas in the response of douglas-fir seedlings to drying soil. New phytologist, 117(2), 327-334.