Spore germination in Phytophthora ?

[Jessie Micales]

Hello.  About 10 years ago I was working in a lab in which there 
was some research with Phytophthora infestans.  The researchers 
there would feed the spores to snails and then germinate them 
from of the snail feces.  Apparently the snail digestive system 
had enzymes in there that would soften up the coat.

Does anyone else have experience with this.  I know that you can 
buy snail digestion enzymes, so perhaps there is a better way to 
do this in vitro.  It's been a long time and I don't really 
remember the details!

Good luck,

Jessie Micales
Forest Products Laboratory
Madison, WI  USA