GROWTH FACTOR REQUIREMENTS OF SIX FUNGI ASSOCIATED WITH FRUIT DECAY.

Esposito, R. G. (United Fruit Co., Norwood, Mass.), H. Greenwood, and A. M. Fletcher. Growth factor requirements of six fungi associated with fruit decay. J. Bacteriol. 83:-250-255. 1962.-A study of the growth factor requirements of representatives of six genera of fruit-rotting fungi has been made. Gloeosporium musarum, Nigrospora sphaerica, Thielaviopsis paradoxa, and Verticillium theobromae all required biotin for growth. Under certain conditions in nitrate medium, Fusarium roseum appeared to be partially dependent on biotin. T. paradoxa also required thiamine for growth. In addition to biotin, N. sphaerica required an unknown material contained in extracts of yeast. Twenty-one known growth factors were tested and found to be inactive. Thiamine inhibited the growth of F. roseum, apparently by stimulating the formation of ethanol. Biotin reversed the effect of thiamine on growth and ethanol formation.