Parasitism and Nutrition of Gonatobotrys simplex

Abstract

Gonatobotrys simplex is a biotrophic mycoparasite contacting and absorbing nutrients from living cells of its hosts, Alternaria spp. and Cladosporium spp. The parasite requires for axenic growth on a yeast extract medium a water-soluble nutrient extracted from certain fungi, both hosts and non-hosts. The nutrient, believed to be an undescribed growth factor, is heat stable and effective in low concentrations. The parasite makes much greater axenic growth on yeast extract than any other N source tested.