PREFACE 



Living fungi are being studied more intensively than ever before. 

 This may be attributed in part to increased interest in the potentiahties 

 of the fungi in industry as well as to the greater recognition of fungi as 

 important disease-producing agents of plants and animals and as destroy- 

 ers of fabrics and other cellulosic materials of commercial importance. 

 This has increased the interest in the cultivation of the fungi and has 

 shown the need for an adequate textbook covering the broad aspects of 

 physiology of the fungi, their growth requirements, and activities. It 

 was the intent of the authors to prepare a textbook which would fulfill 

 the needs of students desirous of some training in this field. 



This book is primarily a text for the advanced student and assumes 

 some basic knowledge of the morphology of fungi and of organic chemistry. 

 It had its origin in the lectures and laboratory exercises used for three 

 years by the authors in a course in physiology of the fungi offered to 

 graduate students at West Virginia University. The authors have 

 contributed equally of their time and efforts in the preparation of this 

 text. 



For those who are interested or are actively engaged in physiological 

 research on fungi, this textbook may serve as a reference book and as an 

 entry into the literature. The large ever-growing accumulation of liter- 

 ature has also made it desirable to bring together a summary and dis- 

 cussion of the information in this field. However, no attempt has been 

 made at complete documentation of the subjects discussed. Certain 

 particularly important references are marked with a star and are recom- 

 mended as required reading for students. 



For the most part, the scientific names of the fungi are those which 

 were used by the investigators whose work has been cited. No attempt 

 has been made to reduce these names to synonomy. Because of the 

 close relation between fungus physiology and plant pathology, plant 

 pathogenic fungi have been used as examples whenever possible. 



Several suggested laboratory exercises with suggested test fungi are 

 included at the end of the text, so that other teachers might profit by the 

 authors' experience in designing and conducting laboratory work in 

 fungus physiology. 



All tables, graphs, and photographs not credited to other sources are 

 original. 



It is a pleasure to acknowledge our indebtedness to the many individuals 



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