Abstract
The present paper deals with the results of the writer's experiments on the cellulose-decomposition by 23 species of the different plant-pathogenic fungi (including wood-destroying fungi), with special reference to a comparison of their cellulose-decomposing abilities in pure cultures. A synthetic mineral-salt-solution (K2HPO41g, MgSO41g, NaCl1g, CaCO32g, NH4NO32g, H2O1000cc), being inserted with a piece of filter paper as the carbon source for the fungi, was used as the cuture-medium. The experimental method was exactly the same with that previously described by SATOH (4). In this series of experiments the filter paper composed of cellulose fibers showed generally some changes by the development of these fungi on it. A careful examination of the filter paper inoculated with these fungi had been done under a microscope and the results suggested clearly that the fungi tested vary in their abilities of decomposing filter paper. The conclusions are briefly summarized as follows.
1. Most of the fungi grown on the filter paper are capable of utilizing cellulose in any extent. However, the change of the filter paper used was not large in many cases.
2. Such fungi, as Corticium centrifugum (LÉV.) BRES., Fomes applanatus (PERS.) WALLR., Gibberella Fujikuroi (SAW.) WR., Pestalozzia Diospyri SYD., Polystictus pergamcnus FR. and Polystictus sanguineus (L.) FR., are clearly recognized as to have the power of decomposing cellulose. The localization of the decomposed cellulose by pure cultures of the above fungi were demonstrared in detail by means of examining the preparations under the crossed NICOL prisms of a polarization microscope.
3. Gloeosporium Olivarum ALM., Pestalozzia Thcae SAWADA and Sclerotium Oryzae-sativae SAWADA seem to have the most active ability for the cellulose-decomposition under such pure culture conditions.
