The Colonisation of Non-sterile Wheat Straw by Fungi

Abstract

A survey of the national production of surplus straw and the measures taken to reduce this surplus is given. This is followed by a review of the current knowledge of the genus Coprinus and the species Coprinus cinereus, a Basidiomycete. The temperature and pH relations of three strains of the fungus in pure culture are outlined and from this, values for temperature and pH are suggested to give optimal growth as measured by several methods. Also in pure culture, the preferences for nitrogen sources and carbon/nitrogen ratios are also studied. Having studied the growth characteristics under sterile conditions, the suggested optima were incorporated into a non-sterile, wheat straw substrate. One of the strains was selected and its growth and colonisation on this straw substrate charted. Various aspects of such growth are then described.