Physiological and ultrastructural changes occurring during germination of sclerotia of Sclerotium rolfsii

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Sclerotia of S. rolfsii germinated without the addition of an exogenous nutrient source. The germinating sclerotia excreted sugars and amino acids to the surrounding medium. Continuous washing of sclerotia prevented germination. In germinating sclerotia, the rate of uptake and incorporation into macromolecules of [3H]uridine and [3H]leucine was very low in the first 6 h but increased rapidly during the next 6 h. EM of germinating sclerotial slices revealed that the granulated medullar cells were involved in germ-tube formation. The germination tubes very electron-dense and had a large number of mitochondria near their tips. The huge vesicles of the cortex cells appeared almost empty in the germinating sclerotium. Apparently these cells serve as an external nutrient reservoir for the germination tubes.

This publication has 6 references indexed in Scilit: