Techniques for the collection, transportation, and isolation of orchid endophytes from afar: a case study from Madagascar.

Background: Tropical orchids need more study with respect to their mycorrhizal associations. For researchers in distant countries who aspire to study these orchids augmenting their conservation, the great distances involved, coupled with limited funds, pose formidable challenges. These challenges are sometimes exacerbated by political unrest, delays in securing permits, unexpected hardships, and the risk that the biological samples collected (e.

Preliminary findings on identification of mycorrhizal fungi from diverse orchids in the Central Highlands of Madagascar.

The Orchid flora of Madagascar is one of the most diverse with nearly 1000 orchid taxa, of which about 90% are endemic to this biodiversity hotspot. The Itremo Massif in the Central Highlands of Madagascar with a Highland Subtropical climate range encompasses montane grassland, igneous and metamorphic rock outcrops, and gallery and tapia forests. Our study focused on identifying culturable mycorrhizae from epiphytic, lithophytic, and terrestrial orchid taxa to understand their diversity and density in a spatial matrix that is within the protected areas.