STUDIES ON SLIME ACCUMULATIONS IN PULP AND PAPER MILLS: II. PHYSIOLOGICAL STUDIES OF PHIALOPHORA FASTIGIATA AND P. RICHARDSIAE

Abstract

Physiological studies of six isolates of Phialophora fastigiata and two isolates of P. richardsiae from pulp mills have been made to determine conditions for growth. Isolates of P. fastigiata grew from at about 3 °C to 30–35 °C, with optimum conditions at 20 to 25 °C and pH 4 to 9. The temperatures for P. richardsiae were somewhat higher. No vitamins were required by P. fastigiata in a basal glucose mineral medium with ammonium tartrate. Ability to metabolize 11 carbohydrates as monosaccharides and oligosaccharides, but not D-arabinose, has been demonstrated. Likewise 16 sources of nitrogen as ammonia, nitrate, and various amino acids, but not cysteine, were utilized unequally. The differences between isolates of P. fastigiata from the same slime were as great as between isolates from different mills.