ENHANCEMENT OF NITRIFICATION RATES IN-VITRO BY INTERACTING SPECIES OF SAPROTROPHIC FUNGI

The ability to nitrify when growing on malt agar medium was investigated for eight species of Clitocybe and Lepista. Nitrate production was found in C. ditopa, C. marginella, C. metachroa, and C. metachroides. Clitocybe odora was probably a nitrate producer. No nitrate was produced by C, vibecina, L. gilva, and L. nuda. Pairwise competition between species resulted in deadlock. In competitive interactions the growth rate of the nitrate-producing species was less negatively affected than the growth rate of the species that only produced ammonium. Nitrate production in mixtures of nitrifying and non-nitrifying species was significantly higher than predicted.