Collaborative Research: CSBR: Ownership Transfer: Living Stocks: International Culture Collection of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (INVAM)

Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi are soil fungi that associate with plant roots and improve resource uptake of the majority of plant species, including most crop plants. They also impact plant defenses and build soil quality. The functioning of AM fungi varies tremendously between species and isolates.

As a result, studies of AM fungi can improve management of agriculture, grasslands and forests. Progress in understanding the importance and optimal management of AM fungi depends upon tests of AM fungi cultures. Unfortunately, few researchers have the expertise or facilities necessary to develop or maintain their own AM fungal cultures, and therefore the availability of cultures can limit scientific progress.

This project will enable the study of this important group of soil fungi through support of a culture collection called the International culture collection of (Vesicular) Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (INVAM). This is the largest culture collection of this type of fungi in the world and includes hundreds of individual isolates. This collection will enable advancement of knowledge on AM fungal biology, genetics, ecology, and taxonomy, as well as applications of AM fungi for commercial purposes.

This project will also promote the exploration of science by the private sector and by students of all ages and abilities. The project will develop modules on experimentation using INVAM cultures that support the K-12 Next Generation Life Science Standards. Standards related to plant growth, soil health and the importance of biodiversity can all be supported by the collection.

INVAM has been the largest provider of cultures to the scientific community and has been the primary resource for identification of AM fungal species. INVAM maintains the largest number of reference cultures, cultures that are linked to a library of voucher specimens and to species descriptions. These reference cultures are a critical resource for the development and testing of new approaches to environmental sequencing, a potentially powerful method to study patterns of AM fungi in the field.

The project will maximize the value of the reference cultures through sequencing efforts. The core mission of INVAM is to preserve accessions and provide living cultures to the user community. INVAM also provides comprehensive information on collection protocols and policies, methodology, taxonomy, and a searchable database for accessions and active/stored cultures via the INVAM website.

Users include teachers and students from high schools through graduate programs at universities, researchers, and industry clients. Stocks include representatives of 95 AM fungal species, and high value germ plasm including strains used for genome projects and strains known to be highly effective as mycorrhizal symbionts. Dr.

Joseph Morton, who built and curated INVAM since 1990, retired in 2017. This project secures the future of the INVAM collections by moving it to the University of Kansas. The move occurs in phases through the duration of the project to ensure culture viability.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.