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Summary Three methods have been used to investigate the effects of a number of commercial herbicides on the growth of certain soil fungi: measurements of hyphal extension across agar plates; measurements of hyphal extension along sterilized plant material; and manometric techniques. Three points, in particular, emerged from these studies. First, that there was no stimulation of fungal growth. Herbicide interference in growth included suppression of spore germination, inhibition of the rate of linear extension of the mycelia, and abnormalities in growth habit and in patterns of spore production. Secondly, that some herbicides (e.g. linuron and paraquat) were more fungitoxic than others (e.g. MCPA and simazine) to a range of organisms. Thirdly, that there were differences between fungi in their sensitivity to individual herbicides. All three methods have shown consistent differences between fungi in their ability to tolerate paraquat. Trichoderma viride, in particular, has been found to be sensitive to paraquat. The inhibitory effects were observed at concentrations well within the range likely to be experienced in the field.

Summary Experiments show that the presence of herbicide residues in plant remains may be a potent factor determining the outcome of competition between saprophytic fungi colonizing such substrates. Pairs of fungi were induced to compete with each other for a substrate both in the presence and in the absence of herbicides. In all cases the outcome of competition for a substrate incorporating the herbicide was different from that for the substrate alone. Paraquat sprayed on to potato haulm altered the outcome of competition between Trichoderma viride and Fusarium culmorum in favour of F. culmorum and the same herbicide on wheat chaff suppressed Rhizopus stolonifer in favour of Aspergillus niger. Treatment of leaves of Raphanus raphanistrum with MCPA altered the outcome of competition between Fenicillium notatum and Aspergillus niger in favour of A. niger.