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Transactions of the Boyal Society of South Africa. 
(3) Fat. 
Percentage Fat in 
Dry Material. 
Control 5-5 per cent. 
Inoculated 3-4 
(4) Nitrogen Determination. 
Per cent, of Kjeldahl's 
Nitrogen in Dry 
Material. 
Control 1-404 
Inoculated 1-755 
(5) Reaction of Ori. 
Control Small bubbles after a while, but 
effervescence never vigorous. 
Inoculated Bubbles at once and effervescence 
becomes vigorous. 
Summary. 
1. Though previous publications have dealt with the deterioration of 
maize generally, I believe this to be the first where attention is directed 
to one particular parasitic organism. These preliminary investigations 
have opened up a wide field for further research and investigation. 
2. Maize infected with Diplodia zeae has a higher acidity than 
healthy maize. 
3. Infected maize gives Ori's reaction distinctly. Healthy maize gives 
only a slight effervescence. The fact that the control of the crushed 
mealies inoculated after autoclaving gives no effervescence, is due to 
the destruction of the enzyme in sterilizing. In the inoculated material 
this enzyme originated from the fungus. 
4. Infected maize has a higher percentage of ash brought about by the 
fungus using the organic substances as food, but leaving the salts, etc. 
5. The percentage of Nitrogen is also higher in the inoculated material. 
6. The fat content of maize inoculated in the laboratory and of maize 
inoculated in the field differ remarkably as compared with their respective 
controls. In the laboratory the inoculated has a higher percentage of fat, 
and in the field a lower, as compared with their respective controls. In 
the field the fungus lives in and destroys primarily the germ, i.e. the 
region containing the most fat. The cobs were inoculated while young, 
and hence the fungus hindered the development of the germ and as a 
result a lower percentage of fat. How far this fungus is able to live on 
fat or to convert it into Fatty Acids has still to be determined. 
