Response of Achlya racemosa, A. proliferoides and Saprolegnia furcata to Sub-lethal Treatments of Amino Acids

ABSTRACT

The effect of four sub-lethal concentrations (400, 800, 1,200 and 1,600 microg/ml) of three amino acids such as isoluecine, aspartic acid and phenylalanine on vegetative growth and sexual and asexual reproduction of Achlya racemosa, A. proliferoides and Saprolegnia furcata was investigated. The density of vegetative growth and diameters of vegetative colonies of species of the Oomycetes fungi decreased with rising the concentration of the applied amino acid. Vegetative hyphae of treated fungi almost appeared branched in case of S. furcata, thick in case of A. racemosa and distorted in case of A. proliferoides as compared with control. The different treatments with amino acids depressed both sporangial formation and discharge, which were dependent on the tested species of zoosporic fungi, the amino acid and its dosage. Phenylalanine was the most effective amino acid in inhibiting sporulation and S. furcata was the most sensitive fungal species. Aspartic acid and isoleucine stimulated germination of discharged spores through the formation of germlings. Gemmae formation by the three fungi was reduced at the low concentrations of amino acids and nearly missed at high concentrations. Sex organs (oogonia and antheridia) were affected partly; rudiment oogonia were observed at low concentrations (400 and 800 microg/ml) and disappeared at higher concentrations, whereas antheridial branch formation was stimulated as the fungi were treated with isoleucine and to some extent phenylalanine.