Utilization of various carbon sources for the growth of waterborne conidial fungi

Abstract

Four isolates of waterborne conidial fungi (Tetracheatum elegans, Tetracladium marchalianum, Pestalotiopsis submersus and Flagellospora penicillioides) were investigated for their carbon requirement, using eight different carbon sources (viz. glucose, fructose, sucrose, xylose, starch, cellulose, dextrin and lactose). All fungi tested grew sparsely on the basal medium lacking in carbon, which was the control. However these fungi were found to vary in their ability to use the supplied sources of carbon. Glucose and sucrose were found to be suitable sources of carbon for all four fungal isolates, whereas fructose proved good for T. marchalianum and P. submersus. Starch and xylose also supported growth of T. marchalianum, P. submersus and F. penicillioides. Cellulose, a polysaccharide, was a poor source of carbon for the growth of these isolates. Four g/L of glucose was recorded as the most useful concentration that gives the maximum dry weight of selected fungi (262 mg and 400 mg for T. elegans and P. submersus respectively after 15 d).

• aquatic hyphomycetes
• carbon utilization
• conidial fungi
• fungal growth

The authors thank Prof. S.P. Singh, head, Department of Botany, Kumaun University, Nainital, for providing laboratory facilities and Dr M. Belwal for his help in conducting the experiments. We also thank Prof. S. Chandra (Botany) and Dr Madhu Joshi (English) for their careful reading of the manuscript and improving it.