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Formation of Humic Acid Like Compounds by the Ectomycorrhizal Fungus, Pisolithus tinctorius
Author(s) -
Tan K. H.,
Sihath P.,
Todd R. L.
Publication year - 1978
Publication title -
soil science society of america journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.836
H-Index - 168
eISSN - 1435-0661
pISSN - 0361-5995
DOI - 10.2136/sssaj1978.03615995004200060015x
Subject(s) - pisolithus , malic acid , chemistry , succinic acid , fractionation , fungus , sucrose , organic chemistry , botany , citric acid , biology , bacteria , mycorrhiza , genetics , symbiosis
Formation of organic compounds by the ectomycorrhizal fungus, Pisolithus tinctorius , was studied to establish the relationship of these microbial products to humic and fulvic acids. The fungus was grown in a Melins‐Norkrans liquid culture with either sucrose or a mixture of L‐malic and L‐succinic acid as the C and energy source. The biologically synthesized substances were characterized by chemical and infrared analyses. The fungus grown on the malic‐succinic acid medium produced a black substance, whereas the organism grown on sucrose yielded only small amounts of a greenish‐brown colored compound. The greenish‐brown substance behaved similarly to fulvic and humic acids, when subjected to fractionation procedures using NaOH and HCl. The fraction soluble in base and acid had an infrared spectrum resembling that of fulvic acids. The fraction soluble in NaOH but insoluble in HCl had infrared features of humic acid. The black substance was insoluble in NaOH and HCl, and identification of infrared spectra revealed the black colored product to be uronic acids.