VIEW ARTICLE

Interaction of Carbon Nutrition and Soil Substances in Chlamydospore Formation by Fusarium. E. J. Ford, Department of Plant Pathology, University of California, Berkeley 94720; A. H. Gold(2), and W. C. Snyder(3). (2)(3)Department of Plant Pathology, University of California, Berkeley 94720. Phytopathology 60:1732-1737. Accepted for publication 1 July 1970. DOI: 10.1094/Phyto-60-1732.

The potential for chlamydospore formation by one clone of Fusarium solani f. sp. phaseoli was regulated by the concentration of chlamydospore-inducing substances from soil. The actual number of chlamydospores produced by the fungus was determined by the amount of energy source (glucose) available. Both the chlamydospore-inducing substances and glucose showed optimal concentration for chlamydospore formation. A scheme for relating chlamydospore formation among all clones of Fusarium is advanced, in which chlamydospore formation occurs as a result of the interaction between a morphogen (the chlamydospore-inducing substances), other environmental factors (nutrition, etc.), and the fungus. The morphogen may be produced endogenously by the fungus itself as a by-product of mycelial growth, or be produced exogenously by other microbes in the fungus’ habitat.