Biochemical Characterization: Fatty acids methyl esters (FAME) profiles using lipids present in the spore of AMF of individual isolates collected from different regions are generated using Gas Liquid Chromatography. The abundance of lipids in spores and vesicles of AMF colonized roots in case of AMF is a potentially useful biochemical character for taxonomic purposes and quantification of glomalean fungi. The bank, with the wide diversity that it is preserving, has created an extensive fatty acid profile library, which has helped in understanding the biochemical biodiversity that exists among the different mycorrhiza collected from different regions. The quantitative and qualitative differences in the fatty acid composition in the spores among different isolates can be done by generating fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) profiles using gas-liquid chromatography.
Morphological characterization : Microscopic (Compound Microscopic and Scanning Electron Microscopic) analysis of individual mycorrhizal isolate were conducted for detailed Morpho-taxonomic analysis. Spores of each isolate was analysed for characteristic features like shape, size, wall layers, ornamentations, subtending hyphal attachments under compound microscope (10x, 40X and 100X magnification) after mounting in Polyvinyl Lacto Glycerol (PVLG) and PVLG: Melzer’s reagent (1:1) and by Scanning electron microscopy. In case of EMF isolates, colony morphology and growth pattern were studied after growing them on Modified Melin Norkrans (MMN) medium for a growth period of 4- 7 weeks. Bank maintains voucher specimen of the isolates.
Molecular characterization: Molecular characterization of mycorrhizal isolates are being done based on the gene sequences of their conserved region with reference to the available gene sequence in Genbank Database. rDNA sequences are successfully utilized to identify AMF and EMF isolate. The identities are based on BLAST score and identity homologies with the reference sequences of available GenBank Database. Phylogenetic studies conducted on the basis of distance analysis with Maximum likelihood method showed their respective affinities with the closest relative and also their relative position in the tree. Boot strap values > 50% are determined for both the groups.
Functional characterization: Functional behaviour of Mycorrhizal isolates as Bio-fertilizer and Biopesticide are evaluated using Tomato as host plant in case of AMF and Eucalyptus or Pine in case of Ectomycorrhiza.