Aniline agar: a simple medium useful in characterizing white rot higher fungi in culture

E. ALBERTÓ; J. E. WRIGHT

MYCOTAXON

Mycotaxon Ltd

Año: 1997 vol. 62 p. 375 - 388

0093-4666

Species of fungi causing a white wood-rot comprise about 90 % of the wood-rotters. In the absence of a fruitbody it is possible, once isolated from the attacked wood, to determine the species responsible for the rot by using cultural features. We hereby propose a new test useful in fungal taxonomy which allows the separation of those fungi able to produce extracellular enzymes which react with aniline in an acid medium. The test consists in inoculating a small portion of mycelium in an acid aniline-containing medium. After 7 days it is possible to observe a brown halo around the inoculum in those species giving a positive reaction. A screening test was carried out with 80 strains of species belonging to the orders Agaricales, Aphyllophorales and Auriculariales. All strains of Aphyllophorales causing brown-rot gave a negative reaction whereas two thirds oft the test species causing whiterot gave positive results. The aniline test allows the separation, within the white-rotters, of those having extracellular enzymes capable of reacting with aniline. This test, added to the series of Nobles and Stalpers may be an additional useful element in taxonomy based on cultural characters.