The Effect of Zinc on Growth and Sclerotial Formation InWhetzelinia Sclerotiorum

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Abstract
The omission of Zn from a glucose-salts liquid medium (initial pH 4.1-4.3 in stationary culture) resulted in decreased dry weight and three of four isolates of Whetzelinia sclerotiorum (= Sclerotinia sclerotiorum) did not produce sclerotia without added Zn. Following growth, the pH of the medium without added Zn was lower than in the medium with Zn. Of the concentrations tested, 1 mg of Zn/liter resulted in maximum sclerotial production. Larger amounts (10 mg of Zn/liter) resulted in increased total dry weight but a smaller proportion of the total became sclerotia. Sclerotial production occurred if Zn was added to cultures grown for periods of 1–22 days in medium without added Zn. Analyses of the cultural filtrate and fungus after growth on medium containing 0.1 or 1.0 mg of Zn/liter showed that the fungus removed all the Zn from the medium.