Mycelium grew from a spore-mycelial inoculum of Aspergillus
oryzae added to ultra-pure water (upw) containing silicon compounds,
but did not grow in upw alone. Growth of other fungi also occurred in upw
only when silicon compounds were added. Increased
growth of A. oryzae, and other fungi, also followed the addition
of silicic acid and other silicon compounds to Czapek Dox.
Aspergillus oryzae solubilized silicon compounds in both upw and
nutrient-rich media. Although interactions between microorganisms
and silicon have been generally neglected, the results show that silicon
compounds can increase fungal growth under both
oligotrophic and nutrient-rich conditions.