Knowledge of ectomycorrhizal (ECM) symbionts of silver fir is till date generally based on morphological-anatomical descriptions of ECM fruit bodies and/or ECM root tips, meanwhile ECM symbionts of silver fir in Slovenia have not been targeted analyzed. Within this research, silver fir’s fine roots were sampled at three climatologically and pedologically different sampling plots, where silver fir fine roots were sampled once per month during growth season, in a period of two years, and were further analyzed with stereo microscope and light microscope. Based on morphological-anatomical characteristics, individual ECM morphotypes were separated and further analyzed with molecular methods, for more reliable identification. In total, we identified 86 different ECM symbionts of silver fir, by which we contributed to better knowledge of silver fir ECM symbionts, as based on published data,48 ECM symbionts were in association with silver fir identified for the first time. We were also interested in possible significant effects of certain abiotic factors linked to individual sampling plot, on changes of ECM community composition as well as on abundances of individual exploration types. We confirmed statistically significant changes of ECM community composition and exploration types between sampled plots, by which we also confirmed significant effects of some abiotic factors as on ECM community composition as well as on abundances of exploration types. Also, statistically significant temporal changes of ECM species abundances and exploration types abundances were confirmed along to growing season. As a part of research, a pot experiment was established, by which silver fir as an appropriate host for commercially valuable truffles form genus Tuber was analyzed. Mycorrhization success in vitro was assessed after 6 months and after 1 year from spore inoculation with T. aestivum, T. borchii and T. melanosporum. At the same time, we wanted to highlight the key importance of earthworms on mycorrhization success, however after one year from spore inoculation, negative effects of added earthworms on mycorrhization level was observed, suggesting on lacking appropriate food source, which leaded to earthworms root grazing. After one year from spore inoculation, silver fir was confirmed as a appropriate host partner for truffle T. aestivum, but not also for truffles T. borchii and T. melanosporum, which's presence on silver fir root tips was not observed.
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