Factors affecting vegetative growth and the production of perithecia in culture by Ophiobolus graminis. I. Variations in media and age of mycelium

Abstract

Perithecia were readily produced in culture on a suitable solid medium under certain conditions of light and temperature, once vegetative growth was established. Investigations into the carbon and nitrogen requirements for both vegetative growth and fruiting showed that, whereas vegetative growth increased with increasing carbon supplies up to10%, reproduction occurred only within a restricted range of carbon and nitrogen concentrations. No perithecia were produced on a starvation medium. Factors involved in fruiting included concentration of nutrients and the balance between them; both were important. A suitable fruiting medium required a minimum carbon concentration of 3000 p.p.m., supplied as 0.75 % glucose or fructose, and an optimum carbon concentration of 6000 p.p.m. supplied as 1.5 % glucose or fructose. The maximum number of perithecia was produced on a medium containing 1% glucose and 0.2 % asparagine (400 p.p.m. nitrogen), which had a carbonlnitrogen ratio of 11.8. A higher than optimum nitrogen concentration was partially offset by increasing the carbon concentration, that is by keeping the carbonlnitrogen ratio approximately constant. The actual concentrations inhibiting and promoting fruiting of the fungus were influenced by the balance between carbon and nitrogen supplies. High concentrations of carbon and nitrogen increased vegetative growth but decreased the number of perithecia. There was no sudden inhibition of perithecia with increased carbon concentrations, but at 10% glucose (40,000 p.p.m. carbon) vegetative growth and pigmentation were maximal but few or no perithecia developed. No evidence was obtained that perithecial production was influenced by ageing of the mycelium, the presence of staling factors, or exhaustion of food supplies.