John Howard Birkinshaw

Quantitative Examination by the Carbon Balance Sheet Method of the Types of Products Formed from Glucose by Species of Fusarium

In view of the encouraging results obtained from the preparation of carbon balance sheets for a number of species of Aspergillus, as reported in Part III, the work was extended to other groups and, by way of contrast, carbon balance sheets were prepared for a considerable number of species of Fusarium. I t is evident from Wollenweber’s “ Monograph on the Fusaria ’’ (see ‘ Phytopathology ’ (1913), Vol. 3, p. 24) that the classification of the Fusaria on morphological grounds is very difficult. I t was hoped that, as a result of the preparation of carbon balance sheets, some biochemical classification on the lines of the Aspergillus group might be possible, and in order to ensure that the cultures used were authentic, almost the whole of those chosen for investigation were Wollenweber’s own cultures purchased from the Centraalbureau voor Schimmelcultures at Baarn. The methods of investigation adopted were those described in Part II and applied to the Aspergillus group in Part III. The following is the history of the species of Fusarium used in this work :—