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INHIBITION OF GROWTH OF ECTOMYCORRHIZAL FUNGI IN CULTURE BY PHOSPHATE
Author(s) -
GILTRAP N. J.,
LEWIS D. H.
Publication year - 1981
Publication title -
new phytologist
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.742
H-Index - 244
eISSN - 1469-8137
pISSN - 0028-646X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1469-8137.1981.tb01701.x
Subject(s) - raffinose , sucrose , phosphate , carbohydrate , biology , ectomycorrhiza , invertase , biochemistry , botany , mycorrhiza , bacteria , symbiosis , genetics
SUMMARY The influence of pH on the growth of, and carbohydrate utilization by, three ectomycorrhizal fungi in culture was assessed by growing them on glucose, sucrose and raffinose in the presence and absence of 0‐05 M phosphate buffer and 0‐05 M 2‐(N‐morpholino) ethane‐sulphonic acid buffer (MES). This concentration of phosphate significantly inhibited growth of Cenococcum geophilwn and Rhizopogon roseolus on all carbon sources. Suillus bovinus was more tolerant, exhibiting uninhibited growth on glucose, though adaptive growth on both sucrose and raffinose was significantly less in phosphate buffer than in the other two systems. MES had a superior buffering capacity and was less inhibitory to growth of the three fungi than phosphate buffer. The growth of C. geophilum on all carbon sources was uninhibited in MES, although this buffer significantly inhibited adaptive growth by the other two species on sucrose and raffinose, possibly by inhibiting induction or activity of invertase. The use of phosphate buffers by several workers in tests of carbohydrate utilization by ectomycorrhizal fungi will undoubtedly have affected their growth. This may, to some extent, explain differences in patterns of utilization of carbon between isolates of the same species which have been reported by different investigators. These have previously been attributed to variability between strains in utilization of carbohydrate rather than in sensitivity to phosphate. Possible ways by which phosphate inhibits growth are discussed.