Cadmium is one of the most toxic heavy metals and its accumulation in the upper layers of forest soils affects
plants, microorganisms and their interactions. Adequate strategies for the reforestation of metal contaminated
sites are of vital importance. The aim of this work was to evaluate the response of Pinus pinaster seedlings
to Cd exposure and to assess the effect of inoculation with two selected ectomycorrhizal fungi, Suillus bovinus
and Rhizopogon roseolus on that response. Seedlings were exposed to soil contaminated at 15 and
30 mg Cd kg−1. Shoot biomass of P. pinaster decreased ca. 36% when exposed to 15 mg Cd kg−1. Overall, colonization
by S. bovinus significantly enhanced shoot development up to 30% in contaminated soil while colonization
by R. roseolus produced no significant effect at both Cd concentrations tested and significantly
increased the level of Cd in the shoots at both Cd concentrations. Metal accumulation in the shoots and
roots of non-inoculated and S. bovinus-inoculated seedlings increased at the higher Cd levels whereas R.
roseolus-inoculated seedlings were not sensitive to Cd variation in the soil. The results from our research
show that inoculation with ECM fungi has a significant impact on metal uptake and development of P. pinaster
seedlings; the differential response induced by the two tested species highlights the importance of
selecting the appropriate strains for nursery inoculation, and, as such, this biological tool ought to be considered
in reforestation processes of heavy metal contaminated areas by woody species.