Studies on chityn level in vegetative mycelium of some mycorrhizal fungi

Chitin content was investigated in vegetative mycelium of the Basidiomycetes and Ascomycetes mycorrbizal fungi grown in vitro. It was demonstrated that the content varies between species and even between strains of a given species, and it changes with the age of mycelium. The chitin content increased with age in the mycelium of fungi of Basidiomycetes while it decreased in fungi of Ascomycetes. Essential effect was found of nitrogen source on chitin content in the mycelium. Less chitin was determined in the mycelium grown on nitrate than in that grown on urea or ammonia salts.