ECOLOGICAL STUDIES ON TILE SYMBIOSIS OF TER ITOMYCES ...

4a CHARACTEMSTICS OF TEP14ITOMYCES IN CULTWE
4.1.1 INTRODUCTION
In culture Termit2gces prgWuces colonies with thin-walled septate
hyphaes for instance Termitg!! Xces albuminosus was described as having
sparsely septate hyphae 3-5(-B), um wido (Batra and Batra 1979)% 1-4(-6)
Iva vido (Bakshi 195I)e Ilyphae of the genus Termit2myces In naturo do
not possess clamp connections
(Rayner 1969, p Singer 19499 1962) and
Bakshi (1951) describes Termit=ces. in culture as only rarely having
theme
If grown under suitable conditions cultural equivalents of the
natural mycotletes are produced (13atra and Batra 1979). These consist
of globular Internal elemental grouped In chainsl which are not capable
of germinating
(apherocysts)o
144a
and ovoid conidiag In dichotomous brancheaq
which geminate readily (blastospores)o These blastospores are
binucleate with the cytoplasm and Its greasy Inclusions being grouped
in the centre round the nuclei, with vacuoles in the extreme parts
containing relatively numerous and voluminous metachrvmatic precipita-
tions Ofeim 19401 1942a)*
4.1*2 HMIODS
Cultures of Termitomyces associated with different termite species
were grown for 2 weeks on SF and selective media (Appendix 111 3.1.6),
at 290C* The cultures were examined with the naked eye and low power
binocular Microscope and described.
The appearance of cultural tmycote^tes vas noted In these cultures
and in cultures grown for ather o(periments.
4.1-3 RESULTS
The results are given In Tables 4.1.1-4.1. s and Plates 4-1.1-4.1.12.