Decomposition of the various chemical constituents etc. of complex plant materials by pure cultures of fungi and bacteria

Abstract

A series of experiments are reported which deal with the decomposition of complex plant materials by pure and mixed cultures of microorganisms. A complete proximate analysis has been made of the plant material undergoing decomposition. The results show that different organisms attack different chemical constituents, some preferring the water-soluble substances, hemicelluloses and nitrogenous complexes; others attack the cellulose and a few organisms are capable of decomposing the lignin. The processes of decomposition are accompanied by synthetic processes, new complexes being built up side by side with those that are being decomposed. The loss in weight as a result of decomposition is usually not a true index of the amount of decomposition that has taken place. Only an analysis of the various organic constituents will help to visualize the nature of the changes produced in the decomposition of plant material by microorganisms. The author is indebted to Miss F. G. Tenney and Mr. K. R. Stevens for assistance in carrying out some of these experiments.