SOME FACTORS AFFECTING THE GERMINATION OF SPORES OF FOMES IGNIARIUS VAR. POPULINUS (NEUMAN) CAMPBELL, AND THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THESE FACTORS IN INFECTION

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Spores of F. igniarius collected from different conks at one time, or from one conk at different times of the year, varied significantly in germinability. However, spores collected from one conk within a 3-day period were judged to be sufficiently consistent for use in comparative tests.Spores germinated best on an 8% malt extract medium buffered at pH 4.0. Only a trace of germination occurred on water agar and none occurred on alkaline media. Stimulation by malt extract appeared to be due partly to the sugar content and partly to an unidentified factor.While extracts of the surface wood of aged wounds contained far less of sugars and amino acids than did extracts of fresh sapwood, germination on the former was consistently better. A lower pH appeared to account for most of this advantage but even when the two types of extract were brought to the same pH better germination occurred on the extract of the aged wound.Spores of F. igniarius germinated well at temperatures in the range 20–35 °C. They varied widely in their ability to germinate after storage. Some samples germinated fairly well after 80 days; others failed to germinate after 10 days.These findings are discussed in relation to the problems of infection.

This publication has 0 references indexed in Scilit: