A simple in situ method for estimating fungal population size in the rumen

Abstract

Agar strips containing glucose, xylose, cellulose, xylan and cysteine‐HCl were incubated in the rumen for 24 h. Fungal zoosporangia that developed on the strips were counted in calibrated fields. The results were expressed per unit area to provide an estimate of the relative size of the fungal population. Increases in fungal population size after defaunation were detected by this method.