Fatty Acids as Carbon Sources for the Growth of Spicaria Violacea

SUMMARY1). Spicaria violacea can be grown on a mineral salts solution with fatty acids as a sole carbon source.2). Excellent growth response to glycerol and to selected fatty acids suggests that this organism is well adapted to fatty substrates, possibly playing a role in the degradation of lipid organic matter in the soil.3). C18, C16, C7, C6, and C5 fatty acids provided excellent growth response; C2, C3, C4, C14, and C17 acids gave positive but lesser growth. The C8-C13 acids proved unsatisfactory substrates for the mold.