Utilization of oligosaccharides by three imperfect fungi

Summary The utilization of oligosaccharides (maltose, sucrose, lactose and raffinose) by three imperfect fungi viz.Alternaria tenuis Auct.,Colletotrichum capsici (Syd.)Butler &Bisby andColletotrichum gloeosporioidesPenz. isolated from diseased leaves of tomato,Scindapsus pictus andPolyscias balfuriana respectively, was studied chromatographically. Except for lactose, all the sugars were utilizzed through a hydrolytic pathway and almost all proved to be a suitable source of carbon for the growth of fungi. Along with the utilization of sucrose, a simultaneous synthesis of an oligosaccharide was also observed in case of two species ofColletotrichum. C. gloeosporioides, however, also synthesized an oligosaccharide, maltotriose if it is grown in the medium containing maltose. During the utilization of raffinose, melibiose and fructose were detectted in the culture medium ofA. tenuis. Melibiose was further broken down into glucose and galactose by the two species ofColletotrichum.All the sugars were consumed from the media within 15 days except for lactose which persisted in the media even after 15 days.