Date of Award

5-1988

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Department

Biology

First Advisor

Dr. Wilton R. Tenney

Second Advisor

Dr. R. Dean Decker

Third Advisor

Dr. W. John Hayden

Abstract

Two species of wood rotting fungi were used to investigate the possibility that growth-enhancing or inhibitory substances in woods from various trees are responsible for the distribution of these fungi in nature. Panus stipticus (Bulliard ex Fries) and Armillariella mellea (Vahl ex Fries) Karsten were cultured in the laboratory on blocks of wood from Taxodium distichum (L.) Richard, Juniperus virginiana L., Pinus taeda L. and Quercus rubra L. Panus stipticus grew well on the surface of the wood blocks; histological studies showed less penetration into the xylem of the softwoods than into that of Q. rubra. Armillariella mellea grew well on all of the woods with greatest penetration occurring in Q. rubra. When added to a yeast extract malt extract glucose medium, aqueous extracts of pine wood enhanced the growth of both fungi; those from all other woods enhanced A. mellea and inhibited P. stipticus. Ether extracts of pine enhanced A. mellea and inhibited P. stipticus; ether extracts of the other woods inhibited both species.

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Biology Commons

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