Germination of non-irradiated and gamma-irradiated fungal spores on water agar and natural soil.

Germination and germ-tube lengths of non-irradiated and gamma-irradiated spores of eight soil fungi were studied on water agar and on natural soil. Non-irradiated spores showed variable degrees of sensitivity to the fungistatic factor in natural soil. Lower doses of gamma-irradiation (5 K rad) produced stimulus to germination and germ-tube lengths without losing the fungistatic properties of the fungi concerned. Germination at the rest of treatments (100 and 500 K rad) showed significant inhibition, the magnitude of which is a function of the dose used. Germ-tube lengths did not follow the same pattern. The results are discussed in view of the nutritional theory of fungistasis.