ANILINE AGAR - A SIMPLE MEDIUM USEFUL RN CHARACTERIZING WHITE-ROT HIGHER FUNGI IN CULTURE

Species of fungi causing a white wood-rot comprise about 90 % of the w ood-rotters. In the absence of a fruitbody it is possible, once isolat ed from the attacked wood, to determine the species responsible for th e rot by using cultural features. We hereby propose a new test useful in fungal taxonomy which allows the separation of those fungi able to produce extracellular enzymes which react with aniline in an acid medi um. The test consists in inoculating a small portion of mycelium in an acid aniline-containing medium. After 7 days it is possible to observ e a brown halo around the inoculum in those species giving a positive reaction. A screening test was carried out with 80 strains of species belonging to the orders Agaricales, Aphyllophorales and Auriculariales . All strains of Aphyllophorales causing brown-rot gave a negative rea ction whereas two thirds of the test species causing white-rot gave po sitive results. The aniline test allows the separation, within the whi te-rotters, of those having extracellular enzymes capable of reacting with aniline. This test, added to the series of Nobles and Stalpers ma y be an additional useful element in taxonomy based on cultural charac ters.