EXPERIMENTAL CONTROL OF FRUIT-BODY FORMATION IN COPRINUS MACRORHIZUS

In order to establish a proper experimental system for studying the physiological and biochemical processes of fruit-body formation in a Basidiomycetes, Coprinus macrorhizus Rea f. microsporus Hongo, various culture conditions, especially light and temperature, were investigated. The use of homogenates of fruit-body primordia, instead of mycelia, as inocula was effective for maintaining cultures capable of active fruit-body formation during many successive cultivations. At least two successive intermittent illuminations every 12 hr during the 3rd and 4th days of incubation were required for the differentiation of pilei. The most effective wave lengths of incident light were found in the region from 440 to 485 mμ. Temperature effects on fruit-body formation were exhibited in two stages of morphogenesis; i.e., in the induction of primordia formation from vegetative hyphae (by 5°-treatment) and in the transition phase from primordia formation to fruit-body development (by 20°-treatment). Based on these observations, three experimental systems for physiological and biochemical studies on the fruit-body formation have been proposed.