Utilization of major detrital substrates by dark-septate, root endophytes

Utilization of major forms of carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus commonly pres ent in plant litter and detritus was determined for cultures of Phialophora finlandia, Phialocephala fortinii and five dark-separate, root endophyte i solates from alpine plant communities. All cultures utilized cellulose, lam inarin, starch and xylan as sole carbon source. Protein and ribonucleic aci ds were hydrolyzed by all cultures as sole nitrogen and phosphorus sources, respectively. The fatty acid ester, Tween 40, was hydrolyzed by all cultur es. None of die cultures decolorized two polymeric dyes used as presumptive tests for lignolytic activity. These hydrolytic capabilities suggest that these dark-septate root endophytes, either as biotrophs or saprotrophs, are able to access major organic detrital nutrient pools.