The ectomycorrhizal fungus Paxillus ammoniavirescens influences the effects of salinity on loblolly pine in response to potassium availability.

Salinity is an increasing problem in coastal areas affected by saltwater intrusion, with deleterious effects on tree health and forest growth. Ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungi may improve the salinity tolerance of host trees, but the impact of external potassium (K ) availability on these effects is still unclear. Here, we performed several experiments with the ECM fungus Paxillus ammoniavirescens and loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.