Cytology of the Asexual Stages of the Australian Brown Rot Fungus Monilinia fructicola (Wint.) Honey

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Abstract
Nuclear division in the homocaryon of Monolinia fructicola is synchronous for all nuclei within a cell. Division is apparently by mitosis; the haploid chromosome number is 4. In the mycelium, mature conidia contain an average of 6.6 nuclei, with a distribution from 4 to 10. At germination 2-3 nuclei migrate into the germ tube. The remainder divide synchronously within 24 hr. and later about 1/2 of these move into the germ tube. Hyphal cells are usually multinucleate with from 1 to 40 nuclei/cell. Lateral branches are generally multinucleate if delimited by a septum; hyphal tips and conidiophores are also multinucleate. Young conidia initially have 2-3 nuclei, but may receive more by movement of nuclei from conidium to conidium. Movement of nuclei into germ tubes, into lateral branches, along anastomoses and through septal pores was observed. The movement of nuclei through the various portions of the mycelium provides M. fructicola with great potential flexibility for adaptation to the environment.