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Studies on Claviceps purpurea (Fr.) Tul. parasitic on Phragmites communis Trin
Author(s) -
Mantle P. G.
Publication year - 1969
Publication title -
annals of applied biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.677
H-Index - 80
eISSN - 1744-7348
pISSN - 0003-4746
DOI - 10.1111/j.1744-7348.1969.tb02839.x
Subject(s) - biology , claviceps purpurea , botany , phragmites , alkaloid , ecology , wetland
SUMMARY Isolates from C. purpurea sclerotia occurring naturally on Phragmites communis usually sporulated vigorously on the culture medium employed, and their failure to produce alkaloid in vitro was associated with a thin white growth form. Such isolates also failed to produce sclerotia on the host plants tested. A variant having a plectenchymatic morphology in vitro and producing a thick pigmented non‐sporulating growth form yielded alkaloid (up to approximately 300μg/ml mainly δ8–9 and δ9–10 lysergic acids and chanoclavine) in surface or submerged culture and developed typical ergot sclerotia (containing 0·2‐0·4% alkaloid, mainly ergotoxine and ergotamine) in vivo. Improved alkaloid yield in vitro was obtained from a strain reselected after passing through a parasitic phase. Aetiological aspects of the P. communis ergot are discussed.