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Development of Cyanide Tolerance in Stemphylium loti. W. E. Fry, National Science Foundation Fellow, Department of Plant Pathology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14850; R. L. Millar, Professor, Department of Plant Pathology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14850. Phytopathology 61:501-506. Accepted for publication 16 November 1970. DOI: 10.1094/Phyto-61-501.

Stemphylium loti, an important pathogen of the cyanogenic plant, birdsfoot trefoil, adapts to cyanide. Adaptation to cyanide could not be effected by inhibiting terminal electron transport of the fungus with azide or an atmosphere of nitrogen. Stemphylium loti adapted to cyanide equally well whether glucose, glycerol, or acetate was the carbon source. Germinated spores adapted to cyanide much more quickly than did nongerminated spores. Adaptation to cyanide was not inherited by progeny of adapted spores. 2,4-Dinitrophenol inhibited adaptation as did cycloheximide, which selectively inhibited protein synthesis in this fungus. Protein synthesis was implicated as a prerequisite for adaptation of S. loti to cyanide.