108 



Scientific Proceedings (126) 



Abstracts of Communications 

 Sixth meeting. 

 Minneapolis, Minnesota, October 18, 1922. 

 52 (2012) 



The fermentation of glucose by Fusarium lini. 

 By ARTHUR K. ANDERSON and J. J. WILLAMAN. 



[From the Division of Agricultural Biochemistry, University of 

 Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota.] 



In a study of the biochemistry of Fusarium lini, the organism 

 which causes flax wilt, its action on a nutrient solution containing 

 glucose as the only source of carbon, has been investigated. 

 Tochinai 1 in Japan has shown that Fusarium lini grows well on 

 several of the common carbohydrates as a source of carbon. Of 

 these he found inulin and glucose to give the best growth. In 

 fermentation tests he found gas produced. Glucose produced 

 gas in largest quantities, while galactose produced only traces. 

 He considers this gas to be entirely C0 2 . He suggests it is very 

 probable that the wilt of the flax plant is due to the production 

 of gas in the vascular system of the plant which interferes with 

 transpiration. 



In the present work a detailed study of the action of Fusarium 

 lini on glucose has been made. The nutrient solution used had 

 the following composition: 



NH4NO3 1.00 g. 



KH 2 P0 4 50 g. 



MgS0 4 25 g. 



Glucose 20.00 g. 



Distilled water to make 1,000 c.c. 



The reaction of this medium was adjusted to the desired P H by 

 the addition of HCT or NaOH solutions. One hundred c.c. were 

 placed in 300 c.c. Erlenmeyer flasks with 2-hole rubber stoppers 

 fitted with cotton plugged glass tubes and rubber tubing with 

 pinch clamps to prevent the escape of any gasses produced. These 



> Tochinai, Y., Annals of the PhytopathoJogical Society of Japan, 1920, 

 i, 1; Byochugai Zasshi, 1921, viii, 2 (Japanese). 



