VIEW ARTICLE

Isolation and Identification of a Volatile Fungistatic Substance from Alkaline Soil. W. H. Ko, Associate Professor, Department of Plant Pathology, University of Hawaii, Beaumont Agricultural Research Center, Hilo; F. K. Hora(2), and E. Herlicska(3). (2)Technician, Department of Plant Pathology, University of Hawaii, Beaumont Agricultural Research Center, Hilo; (3)Associate Professor, Department of Chemistry, University of Hawaii, Hilo 96720. Phytopathology 64:1398-1400. Accepted for publication 14 May 1974. DOI: 10.1094/Phyto-64-1398.

A volatile fungistatic substance was extracted with water from alkaline soil. The inhibitor in the extract volatilized at pH 7.6 but not at pH 2. Crystals were obtained when acidified distillate containing the inhibitor was evaporated to dryness. The unknown crystals were identified as ammonium chloride by infrared spectroscopy and X-ray powder diffraction. The biological spectra of the volatile inhibitor from soil, soil extract and ammonium chloride solution were identical. The results indicate that the fungistatic substance volatilized from alkaline soil is ammonia.