On the growth of Boletus elegans Schum in pure culture

Abstract

The thesis consists of two parts; the first is concerned with the morphological characters of Boletus elegans in pure culture and contains a description of the mycelium of the fungus which is compared with the descriptions of the mycelia of other Boletus spp. given by previous workers. The second and larger part deals with certain aspects of the physiology of B elegans. Chief consideration is given to the effect of the pH value of the medium on the growth of the fungus. The pH range is found to differ significantly on silica gels and gelatin media and an attempt is made to elucidate the phenomena shown in the gelatin media. In connection with the investigation into the relation "between pH value and growth, attention is drawn to the influence of staling products present in the inocula on the rate of growth of the cultures derived from them and to the effect upon growth of the molecular concentration of the medium. A brief enquiry into the nitrogen diet of B. elegans is also included.