Carboxin prevents the growth of yeast by inhibiting protein synthesis; the resumption of growth in the presence of this chemical appears to be primarily due to a cellular alteration affecting carboxin entry into the cells.

The optimum conditions (pH and initial sugar concentration) of fermentation for the production of ethanol by 4 strains ofZymomonas mobilis (ATCC 10988, ATCC 12526, NRRL B 4286 and IFO 13756) were studied. An initial sugar concentration of 15 % (w/v) at pH 7.0 was found to be optimal for the first two strains and 20 % (w/v) initial sugar at pH 7.0 was found to be optimal for the last two strains. The fermentation pattern of these strains on synthetic medium, cane juice and molasses were compared. Strain NRRL B 4286 showed maximum ethanol production on synthetic medium while on cane juice ATCC 10988 and ATCC 12526 performed well. However, all the strains fermented molasses poorly.

The interaction of a vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal fungusGlomus fasciculatum with a wilt-causing soil borne pathogen,Fusarium oxysporum, was studied in cowpea (Vigna unguiculata). It was found that pre-establishment by vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus reduced the colonization of the pathogen and the severity of the disease, as determined by reduction in vascular discolouration index. In mycorrhizal plants, the production of phytoalexin compounds was always higher than in the nonmycorrhizal plants. There appeared to be a direct correlation between the concentration of the phytoalexins and the degree of mycorrhizal association. Three different compounds withR_f values of 0.23 (I), 0.17 (II) and 0.11 (III) were obtained from mycorrhizal plants. Similar compounds were also found to be induced by an abiotic elicitor CuSO₄. The first compound was identified as an isoflavonoid, daidzein and the other two remain to be identified. These compounds were checked for their antifungal activityin vitro. The germination of conidial spores ofFusarium oxysporum was strongly inhibited by the compound III than the other two. It is argued that the production of phytoalexin compounds in mycorrhizal plant could be one of the mechanisms imparting tolerance of the plants to wilt disease.