Societies and Academies

Abstract

LONDON. British Mycological Society, Mar. 19.—W. R. I. Cook: Influence of environment on Ligniera Junci. Examination of natural habitats shows that slightly acid water with excess of iron favours growth of the fungus. Laboratory experiments show that light is a more important factor in determining infection, as when exposed to light, roots are not infected and any existing infection disappears.—Miss M. P. Hall: Zonation in cultures of Monilia fructigena. Cultures show concentric bands of sterile mycelium with bands of conidia, which are controlled by the medium. The initial reaction should be acid unless growth induces acidity, and the concentration should not cause staling. Conidia are produced in light but not in darkness. Zonation can also be produced by temperature variation.—K. R. Mohendra: Variation in Sphœropsis Malorum. Spores from a single pycnidium of a strain of S. Malorum gave two kinds of cultures, black and white. The ratio between the two was not constant, the whites increasing from three to one until the blacks had almost gone. Spores from a single white pycnidium gave white individuals only: spores from single black pycnidium gave mainly black but also a few white. The percentage of white colonies could be increased by repeated culture, but one strain gave only black individuals. White strains show a considerable amount of variation in spore formation.E. Wyllie Fenton: Seed mixtures and incidence of fungal diseases. Plots grazed and mown for hay were sown with different seed mixtures. One of the grazed plots and all the hay plots were yellow with Uromyces Dactylidis. Absence of a reasonable amount of clover deprived the grasses of a sufficient supply of nitrogen.—E. H. Ellis: Fungi in Japanese carvings. An account of the fungi conventionalised in Japanese netsukes.