The First Report of Rhizopogon boninensis in Vietnam

The First Report of Rhizopogon boninensis in Vietnam

Tram T Ngo1,2*, Nhan T Le2, Hoang ND Pham 2,3, and Dung H Nguyen4

1Graduate University of Science and Technology, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, Vietnam 

2Applied Biotechnology Institute, Vietnam

3Institute Mycology and Biotechnology, Vietnam

4Institute of Tropical Biology, Vietnam

*Email: ngotram13@gmail.com

The genus Rhizopogon is the important factor for pioneer pine with its ecotmycorrhizas. Rhizopogon boninensis was supposed to be the endemic fungi in Bonin Islands (Japan) because their specimens were rarely recorded in other areas. However, in 2019, the sporocarps of Rhizopogon species were found in Pinus kesiya forest in Lam Dong Province, Vietnam. Morphological descriptions and molecular phylogenetic analysis confirmed these samples were R. boninensis. The artificial co-culture as well as the forest samples demonstrated that R. boninensis formed the ectomycorrhizas with Pinus kesiya. This result represents the first record of Rhizopogon boninensis in Southeast Asia region.