ECOLOGICAL STUDIES ON TILE SYMBIOSIS OF TER ITOMYCES ...

3.3,1
3-3 DETEMINATION OF THE OPTIK314 TEMPUZATURE FOR GROWTH
INTRODUCTION
In order to get the maximum amount of c0owth of Tormit2aces, it
is necessary to know the optimum temperature for incubation. As the
temperature optima of species within a genus way vary widely
1958) the experiment was carried out on cultures associated with
(Cochrane
different termite species to see if any differences could be found*
The radial growth of Termitomyces on agar plates is considered a
reliable method for determining the optimum temperature for growth
(Brancato and Golding 1953, Cochrane 19-58 and Trinci 1969), and there
in excellent correlation of radial growth with dry weight in temperature
studies (Chaudhurl 1923).
3.3.2 KMIODS
The optimum temperature for Growth was determined by measuring the
radial growth of Termitmyet-F, culturex on plates of SP medium Incubated
at 20t 24,299 32 and 350C. Five plates were act up at each temperature
for each Termitomyc= culture* The plates contained 25.5 ml of agar
vhich was therefore of a standard depth* The Innocula of
Tem. itanyce-8
vero cut with a cork borer and placed upside down centrally on the agar
plate*
In the first experiment the cultures of Termita"yces used were
from Ancistrotermex cavithorax, Macrotermes bellicogun, Macrotomes
subhnlinual Odontotermes ameathmant and Odqntotem. eýk op. In the
second experiment cultures from 4 Micratemes species were used,
3.3.3 MULTS
393.6.
The results are given in Figs* 3-3-1 - 3.3.7 and Tables 3-3.1 -
1020