Chaetomium Cellulolyticum, A New Thermotolerant and Cellulolytic Chaetomium I. Isolation, Description and Growth Rate

SUMMARY

Chaetomium cellulolyticum is described as a new species from decomposing straw used for the cultivation of mushrooms in the Punjab State, India. The fungus is thermotolerant rather than thermophilic, optimal growth resulted at 37 C but temperatures above 40 C were inhibitory. Growth in liquid culture was very rapid with specific growth rate of 0.14 h^-1 and a doubling time of about 5 h. Of various inorganic nitrogen sources investigated, NaNO₃ yielded the maximum growth rate.