Effect of Glucosamine on the Growth of Pyricularia oryzae

Abstract

D-Glucosamine (GlcN) inhibited hyphal growth of Pyricularia oryzae P₂ although it did not inhibit germination of conidia. The degree of inhibition varied according to the sugar, being the highest in the case of sucrose and the lowest in the case of glucose among the sugars tested. Uptake of GlcN was severely inhibited by glucose whereas uptake of glucose was not inhibited by GlcN. Glucose was the most effective among the sugars tested in the inhibition of GlcN uptake. GlcN caused morphological changes in both colonies and hyphae. The most characteristic change was a swelling of hyphae. Analysis of cell walls indicated that the cell wall of swollen hyphae contained more than twice as much N-acetylglucosamine and smaller amounts of other sugars as those found in normal hyphae.