Abstract
1) About nine hundred strains, including many of those characterized ed clearly by differences in morphological properties, have been obtained from the cultures of the agroclavine producing race irradiated with radium or with ultraviolet light.
2) These strains were classified into four groups: the strains capable to parasite, and having sclerotinizing and alkaloid-prodciung abilities; the strains capable to parasite, but having little or no sclerotinizing and alkaloid-producing abilities; the strains incapable to parasite, and having little or no sclerotinizing and alkaloid-producing abilities; and the strains incapable to parasite, but having sclerotinizing and alkaloid-producing abilities.
3) It is thereby presumed that the enzyme system taking part in the parasitism of ergot fungus has no direct connection with that participating in its sclerotinization, and that at least one of the enzymatic reactions determining the sclerotinization of sphacelia is indispensable for the production of ergot alkaloids.
4) There are regressive factors in the effects of radium or ultraviolet light upon the cultures of ergot fungus. It, however, appears that whatever mutant resulting from the cultures irradiated with radium or with ultraviolet light produces the same alkaloids as those produced by original cultures.
