The Mineral Nutritional Requirements of Mucor hiemalis Wehm

SUMMARY: A series of four factorial experiments with culture media was carried out dealing with (1) the action of individual salts and their interactions in the medium, (2) the relation of the nitrogen source to the action of the salts, (3) the effect of the ratio of the carbon source and (4) the proportionate influence of the salts in the medium. Statistical analysis of the results has shown (a) the composition of the culture medium which produces optimal growth under given conditions, (b) that a suitable balance of salts in the medium, while conducive to good growth, is not of over-riding importance to this fungus, and (c) that ammonium nitrate serves as the key nutrient in the balance of salts which produces optimal growth measured as milligrams of dry weight.