Spontaneous mutability and colony morphology of Gibberella baccata

Abstract

Cultural instability is a common phenomenon in the genus Fusarium. As with other species, Gibberella baccata (Fusarium lateritium) contains cultures that are less morphologically stable than others. When grown on certain media, such as potato dextrose agar, these cultures produce areas of aberrant growth (mutant patches) after 6 weeks. Single conidial cultures from these patches produce colonies different from the original culture and from each other in growth rate, colony color, aerial mycelium production, and pionnote production. Random ascospore analyses of crosses of the original morphological type to the mutant types showed there had been a one gene change in each case. Mutant patch forming and nonforming isolates of Gibberella baccata were crossed in all possible combinations, and the progeny were rated for ability to produce mutant patches. Broad sense heritability estimates for inheritance of mutant patch formation were high (60.0 to 95.9%), strongly indicating a genetic basis with a limited number of genes involved. The mutator activity of these genes appeared to be conditional and mutant patch development was dependent on the presence of some unknown factor in certain media rich in carbohydrates and other compounds.Key words: Gibberella baccata, Fusarium lateritium, colony morphology, spontaneous mutability, cultural instability.