8.6 Conclusion
Mycorrhizal fungi have an important role in supporting the AeroHydro Culture
method applied in degraded TPE. Mycorrhizal fungi can be applied in accordance
with the developed indigenous tree species. If AeroHydro Culture was applied to
plant Dipterocarpaceae, Myrtaceae, and Fagaceae species, ECM inoculant formulations with broad host range could be added. Some edible ectomycorrhizal mushrooms could also be added to enrich the biodiversity of microbes in TPE. Other local
family trees could be inoculated with mixed species of AM fungi. In addition, other
input technologies could also support AeroHydro Culture, such as organic fertilizer
mixture, PGPR bacteria, biochar, and zeolites, which also influence the initial
colonization process of mycorrhizal inoculation. The important point is that
AeroHydro Culture is an environmentally friendly technology in the context of
forest restoration in tropical areas and cultivation of indigenous forest tree species
in high GWL and flooded peat conditions.
Recovering mycorrhizal fungal communities beneath disturbed TPE requires
strategies to enable forest tree host to accept mutualistic symbiosis. By establishing
fungal network communication underground of the peatland, it is possible for the
tree root system to re-activate to absorb nutrients to the maximum and share them
with other plant communities, so that TPE can be restored. AeroHydro Culture is one
of the innovations to be developed in TPE, and with good peatland management, it
will be able to help mitigate forest fires to a minimum. The question left to answer is
how to manage water table of peatland consistency through the year, so that this
a
b
c
Fig. 8.6 Introduction of edible ectomycorrhizal mushroom inoculant in AeroHydro culture to
restore degraded peatland forest; (a) native Tristaniopsis obovata trees in Sumatra; (b) fruit bodies
of ECM H. retisporus under T. obovata; (c) collection and harvesting of edible ECM mushroom
H. retisporus by the forest communities
8 The Role of Mycorrhizal Fungi for Supporting AeroHydro Culture in Tropical. . .
297
Mycorrhizal fungi have an important role in supporting the AeroHydro Culture
method applied in degraded TPE. Mycorrhizal fungi can be applied in accordance
with the developed indigenous tree species. If AeroHydro Culture was applied to
plant Dipterocarpaceae, Myrtaceae, and Fagaceae species, ECM inoculant formulations with broad host range could be added. Some edible ectomycorrhizal mushrooms could also be added to enrich the biodiversity of microbes in TPE. Other local
family trees could be inoculated with mixed species of AM fungi. In addition, other
input technologies could also support AeroHydro Culture, such as organic fertilizer
mixture, PGPR bacteria, biochar, and zeolites, which also influence the initial
colonization process of mycorrhizal inoculation. The important point is that
AeroHydro Culture is an environmentally friendly technology in the context of
forest restoration in tropical areas and cultivation of indigenous forest tree species
in high GWL and flooded peat conditions.
Recovering mycorrhizal fungal communities beneath disturbed TPE requires
strategies to enable forest tree host to accept mutualistic symbiosis. By establishing
fungal network communication underground of the peatland, it is possible for the
tree root system to re-activate to absorb nutrients to the maximum and share them
with other plant communities, so that TPE can be restored. AeroHydro Culture is one
of the innovations to be developed in TPE, and with good peatland management, it
will be able to help mitigate forest fires to a minimum. The question left to answer is
how to manage water table of peatland consistency through the year, so that this
a
b
c
Fig. 8.6 Introduction of edible ectomycorrhizal mushroom inoculant in AeroHydro culture to
restore degraded peatland forest; (a) native Tristaniopsis obovata trees in Sumatra; (b) fruit bodies
of ECM H. retisporus under T. obovata; (c) collection and harvesting of edible ECM mushroom
H. retisporus by the forest communities
8 The Role of Mycorrhizal Fungi for Supporting AeroHydro Culture in Tropical. . .
297