|
Abstract: Thermophilic fungi are commonly called heat molds by mushroom growers. These fungi normally grow at temperatures of 110 to 150 F, and in a few cases as high as 160 F. At temperatures below 110 F their metabolism is sluggish and they grow very slowly or not at all. A few, such as Rhizopus, Aspergillus, and some species of Humicola, are active over a very wide temperature range and should be called thermotolerant rather than thermophilic. Reports of thermophilic organisms have been, and are, rather scarce, however, the phenomenon was noticed rather early when Sonnerat (6) in 1774 reported fish living in water at 69 C. Over a hundred years later Miquel (4) reported the existence of thermophilic bacteria, and 1 year later Tsiklinsky (7) described a thermophilic fungus, Monotospora. This fungus is still the most common and widespread of the group. Among the few workers who investigated this group after 1900 were, Miehe (3), Noack (5), Curzi (1), and LaTouche (2). In the past few years Cooney (8) and Emerson at the University of California, and Crisan (9) at Purdue University have carried out serious work with thermophilic fungi, not only in respect to the taxonomy involved, but also to their physiological activities. In the course of our work, compost from well scattered points in the United States, Canada, and South America were tested, primarily to isolate thermophilic fungi. Various species of the following genera have been isolated and tested for their ability to prepare good compost: Penicillium, Anixia, Chaetomium, Mucor, Monotospora, Humicola, Torula, Rhizopus, Aspergillus Thermoascus, Malbranchia, Thermoidium, Cephalosporium, Arthrobotrys, Graphiutn, and Dactylomyces. Of these genera, Monotospora is the only one which was isolated from every compost tested. In general, the distribution of these organisms is fairly even, however, a greater number of different genera were usually obtained from compost which originated in Canada and the northern part of the United States. The ability to prepare good compost appears to be limited to three of this group, Penicillium, Anixia, and Mucor. Acceptable compost is produced by Torula, Humicola, Monotospora and Chaetomium, whereas the remaining genera of those listed are of no value in the preparation of compost. It should be noted here that attempts to utilize combinations of various thermophilic fungi for the preparation of compost have been disappointing and truly compatible combinations have not been found so far.
Full text download: ISMS subscribers
ISHS members & pay-per-view
Translate:
   |