EFFECT OF AMMONIUM NITROGEN AND AMINO ACIDS ON PERITHECIAL FORMATION OF VENTURIA INAEQUALIS

Abstract

Perithecia of Venturia inaequalis did not form in a basal medium to which was added ammonium sulfate, chloride, phosphate or tartrate as the sole sources of nitrogen, when the pH of the medium was allowed to fall to inhibitory levels. Perithecia formed with these ammonium salts as nitrogen sources when calcium carbonate was added to control the pH. With ammonium carbonate and oxalate there was no appreciable change in pH, and perithecia formed with these salts as nitrogen sources. Perithecia did not form in media with leucine as a nitrogen source. Formation of perithecia with other amino acids depended on the concentration of amino-nitrogen in the media. A substance toxic to perithecial formation may form in cultures containing leucine; if so, it is produced in different amounts by the two isomers and the racemic mixture of this amino acid.