ISSN:
1615-6102
Keywords:
Fungus
;
Parasite
;
Potato wart disease
;
Resting sporangia
;
Synchytrium
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Biology
Notes:
Summary The cytoplasmic organization of the long-lived, thick walled resting stage of the sporangium ofSynchytrium endobioticum (Schilb.) Perc. is described. The cytoplasm of the resting sporangium contains a large number of closely packed lipid bodies and irregular electron dense bodies, which are interspaced with fine channels of cytoplasm. These ultrastructural observations are discussed in relation to the hypothesis ofBally (1912) andCurtis (1921) that zoospore primordia are already present during the resting stage. It is shown that the “zoospore primordium” is actually a lipid body and an osmiophilic body and the strands postulated to connect the individual “zoospore primordia” are actually the fine channels of cytoplasm. A new inner wall layer is laid down prior to the start of the germination. It is this wall layer which will protrude to form the vesicle in which sporogenesis takes place. The germination process observed, protrusion of a vesicle through a crack in the sporangial wall, the migration of the sporangial content into the vesicle, and the formation of a single, membrane-bound sporangium within this vesicle, is in full agreement with the recent light microscopic studies ofSharma andCammack (1976). These observations support the transfer ofS. endobioticum from the subgenusMesochytrium to the subgenusMicrosynchytrium (bothsensu Karling 1964). A major objective of the study, to obtain ultrastructural evidence for the location of the meiotic divisions in the life cycle, was not fulfilled. Three different fungi were observed to parasitize the resting sporangium ofS. endobioticum. These infections are discussed in relation to other mycoparasites of plant pathogenic fungi. The possibility of using a mycoparasite for the biological control of potato wart disease is considered to be without practical relevance.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF02115962
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