Growth of Fungi on Three Sources of Nitrogen

Abstract

SUMMARY The rate and amount of growth of twenty-five species of fungi were determined when they were supplied with nitrate, ammonium, and organic (asparagine) nitrogen. Nitrate nitrogen was used slowly by some of the Basidiomycetes tested and poorly, if at all, by others. From the standpoint of rapidity and amount of mycelium produced, asparagine and ammonium sulfate supplemented with fumaric acid were about equal in value and superior to either ammonium sulfate or potassium nitrate. Fumarate had little if any effect on the utilization of nitrate nitrogen.