The responses of a number of wood-rotting fungi to culture filtrates
of Phellinus contiguus strain GWR, which contained a factor
active in self-induction of precocious fruiting, were tested by means of
a bioassay. Fruiting of a second isolate of P. contiguus was
stimulated by active filtrate and the responses of single basidiospore
progeny of GWR ranged from nothing to full fruiting. In
similar bioassays culture filtrates from 13 out of 16 single spore progeny
stimulated fruiting in GWR but production of active filtrate
did not correlate with capacity to respond. Other wood-rotting fungi (two
other strains of P. contiguus, P. occidentalis, P.
ferruginosus,
P. igniarius and P. pini, Phylloporia ribis
and Trametes versicolor) produced filtrates capable of inducing
fruiting in P. contiguus strain
GWR. P. pomaceus, lacked inducing activity and the inactive filtrate
of Coniophora puteana was also inhibitory to mycelial growth.
It is
concluded that production of the factor inducing fruiting in P. contiguus
is not species specific.