PRODUCTION OF AERIAL MYCELIUM AND UREDOSPORES BY MELAMPSORA LINI (PERS.) LÉV. ON FLAX LEAVES IN TISSUE CULTURE

Abstract

Dense, felt-like growth of aerial mycelium of Melampsora lini (Pers.) Lév. was obtained when surface-sterilized, rust-infected cotyledons of flax were put on a modified Knop medium, containing fresh, ripe coconut milk, sucrose, and Difco Bacto-Agar. The mycelium remained fully dependent on the living host tissue, but could easily be collected free from host material in quantities sufficient for respiration and small scale chemical studies. Slight modification of the method allowed production of appreciable quantities of uredospores free from contaminating microorganisms.