Fatty acid mixtures promote spore germination of asymbiotically-cultured Rhizophagus irregularis after low temperature storage

This dataset contains measurements of fungal growth, lipid composition,
and spore germination under different fatty acid treatments in the
arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus Rhizophagus irregularis. Fungal cultures
were established under asymbiotic conditions using a modified synthetic
medium supplemented with defined fatty acid combinations, including
myristate alone or in combination with palmitate and/or palmitoleate.
Cultures were incubated for four months, followed by optional storage at 4
°C for one month. For each treatment, fungal biomass (dry weight), spore
number, and spore diameter were quantified. Lipid composition was
determined for triacylglycerol and phospholipid fractions using gas
chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS), including relative abundances of
individual fatty acids and degrees of saturation. Spore germination rates
were assessed before and after low-temperature storage. These data can be
used to investigate relationships between exogenous fatty acid supply,
lipid composition, and fungal performance, and may support further
analyses of lipid metabolism and optimization of asymbiotic culture
systems for AM fungi.