80 



PHYSIOLOGY OF THE FUNGI 



This report apparently attracted little attention since most investigators 

 working on this problem confined their attention to Aspergillus niger. 

 The value of using more than one fungus to demonstrate the essential 

 nature of calcium was strikingly shown by Steinberg (1948, 1950). These 

 data are given in Table 13. 



It is evident from the data in Table 13 that the essential nature of cal- 

 cium for certain fungi is established. The concentrations of calcium 

 required for maximum growth varied from 2 to G mg. per liter of medium. 

 On the other hand, neither A. niger nor Fusariuni oxysporum needs more 



Table 13. Effect of the Omission of Calcium from the Medium on the 



Growth of Seven Fungi 

 (Steinberg, Science 107, 1948.) 



Fungus 



Aspergillus niger 



Rhizoctonia solani 



Sclerotium I'olfsii 



Cercos-pora nicotianae 



Fusarium oxysporum var. nicotianae. 



Pythium irregulars 



Thielaviopsis basicola 



* Asparagine of unknown purity was used as a sovirce of nitrogen. 



than spectroscopic traces of calcium, if they require this element at all. 

 Steinberg is of the opinion that further advances in purity of nutrient 

 solutions will reveal more uniformity in the essential element require- 

 ments of organisms. 



Lindeberg (1944) has demonstrated a synergistic effect between manga- 

 nese and calcium upon the growth of various species of Marasmius. 



Table 14. The Effect of Increasing Concentrations of Calcium and Manga- 

 nese, Alone and in Combination, on the Growth of Marasmius epiphyllus 

 (Lindeberg, Symbolae Botan. Upsalie7isis, 8: 2, 1944.) 

 (Dry weight mycelium in milligrams.) 



