Assessment of wood-inhabiting Basidiomycetes for biokraft pulping of softwood chips.

Wood-inhabiting Basidiomycetes have been screened for various applications in the pulp and paper industry and it is evident that different fungi need to be used to suit the specific requirements of each application. This study assessed the suitability of 278 strains of South African wood-decay fungi for the pre-treatment of softwood chips for kraft pulping. The influence of these fungi on kappa number, yield and strength properties of pulp was evaluated.

Enumeration of fungi in barley.

Estimation of fungal contamination of barley grain is important as certain fungi can proliferate during the malting process. The following factors which may affect the enumeration of fungi were evaluated: dilution versus direct plating, presoaked versus unsoaked grain, five culture media: potato dextrose agar (PDA), acidified Czapek-Dox agar (ACA), pentachloronitrobenzene agar; (PCNB) dichloran rose bengal chloramphenicol agar (DRBC) and malt salt agar; two disinfectants' ethanol/water (80:20 v/v) and sodium hypochlorite (3.5% w/v in H2O).

Perinatal mortality in lambs of ewes exposed to cultures of Diplodia maydis (= Stenocarpella maydis) during gestation.

During 1987 when cob rot was rife, perinatal losses were reported in flocks and herds that had been exposed to diplodiosis. The affected lambs or calves were either stillborn or died soon after birth. Dosing trials at the Onderstepoort Veterinary Research Institute involving 82 ewes revealed that 66% of the offspring of dams exposed to cultures of Diplodia maydis (= Stenocarpella maydis) in the second trimester of pregnancy and 87% of lambs of ewes exposed in the third trimester were born dead or died soon afterwards.

Mycotoxic peripheral myelinopathy, myopathy, and hepatitis caused by Diplodia maydis in vervet monkeys.

During recent historical times many Africans changed their diet to one based on maize. The grain is regularly contaminated by fungi which are toxigenic to domestic animals and birds. After one of the fungi, Diplodia maydis, in pure culture on maize, was added to the food of omnivorous primates there was demyelination of nerves, atrophy, degeneration and necrosis of muscle, and hepatitis.

Toxicity and moniliformin production by four recently described species of Fusarium and two uncertain taxa.

Four recently described species. Fusarium nygamai, F. dlamini, F.