The Isolation, Maintenance and Host Range Studies of a Chytrid Rhizophydium planktonicum Canter emend., Parasitic on Asterionella formosa Hassall

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Abstract
The methods of isolation and maintenance in dual clone culture of the chytrid Rhizophydium planktonicum Canter emend, parasitic on Asterionella formosa Hass. from the plankton are described. The ability of a single fungal isolate to infect other clones of Asterionella, Fragilaria, Tabellaria, Synedra and Cyclotella, as well as dead material was also tested. All the clones of Asterionella proved to be highly susceptible to infection whereas only in rare instances could a sporangium be found which had grown and dehisced on Fragilaria and Synedra. Very few zoospores encysted on Tabellaria and Cyclotella and those which did died without further growth. There was no evidence to suggest that the chytrid could complete its life history on dead material.