Jk. Misra, Growth, sporulation and pH tolerance of Furculomyces boomerangus and Austrosmittium biforme in axenic culture, MYCOLOGIA, 92(6), 2000, pp. 1051-1056
Growth, sporulation, and pH tolerance of the insect gut fungi, Furculomyces
boomerangus and Austrosmittium biforme (Trichomycetes, Harpellales, Legeri
omycetaceae), were studied in axenic culture. Biomass and trichospore produ
ction were considerably higher in shaken cultures after eight days than in
stationary flasks. In stationary cultures, the pH of the filtrates remained
acidic, but shaken cultures became alkaline during growth. Biomass varied
at different pH values. Furculomyces boomerangus grew best at pH 5.0, while
Austrosmittium biforme did so at pH 6.5. Both endobionts produced minimum
biomass at pH 4.0. Higher numbers of viable trichospores were produced in s
haken cultures than in stationary cultures. Total trichospore production wa
s highest between pH 6.5 and 8.0, but viable trichospores were most abundan
t at pH 8.5. No viable trichospores were recorded at pH 4.0. The study indi
cates that both F: boomerangus and A. biforme are pH tolerant and can grow
under different cultural regimes in vitro.