OUTCOME OF INTERSPECIFIC INTERACTIONS AMONG BROWN-ROT AND WHITE-ROT WOOD DECAY FUNGI

Interspecific mycelial interactions among brown-rot fungi resulted in either deadlock or replacement of one fungus by the other. Similarly, most of the brown-rot fungi deadlocked with some or all of the white-r ot fungi tested, while a few were able to replace some of the white-ro t fungi. The results indicate similarities in interspecific mycelial i nteractions among brown-rot fungi and between brown-rot and white-rot fungi. The results further suggest that some brown-rot fungi are capab le of invading and occupying domains within white-rot fungal communiti es in decaying wood.