Production of Axenic Cultures of Soil-borne and Endophytic Blue-green Algae

Abstract

SUMMARY: A relatively rapid and reliable method is described for producing axenic cultures of soil-borne blue-green algae, of the blue-green algal endophytes of certain cycads, and the blue-green endophyte of the angiosperm Gunnera chilensis Endl. It was based on the micro-manipulation of hormogonia and akinetes, from which axenic cultures were propagated. Micromanipulation was done during growth in impure culture on an agar medium. The technique was used to obtain axenic cultures of fifteen soil isolates, the endophytes of the cycads Macrozamia lucida (Linnaeus) Johnson, Encephalartos altensteinii Lehm., and Bowenia serrulata Bull, and the endophyte of Gunnera chilensis Endl. The soil isolates have been tentatively identified as species of the genera Nostoc, Anabaena, Calothrix, Scytonema, Wollea, Microchaete, and Oscillatoria.