Occasionally, the symbiosis of the fungus-growing ants is threatened by ascomycetous fungi mainly by species in the genus Escovopsis. GC-MS analyses were conducted to investigate the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) produced by Escovopsis and the mutualistic Leucocoprinus gongylophorus during dual-culture. In dual-culture Escovopsis' development was faster. Hexadecanoic acid (palmitic acid) and VOCs such as the sesquiterpenes α-cedrene, β-cedrene, thujopsene, α-santalene, α-selinene, cedrene, (+)-cuparene and δ-cadinene secreted by L. gongylophorus may be responsible for speeding the germination of Escovopsis’ conidia as well as for the faster hyphal development. Based on this study and available literature we infer that the relationship between these two species is mediated by hyphal interference (HI). Additional studies should unveil if the biological activity of some compounds produced by these fungi is attractive, repellent or toxic to the ants and inhibitory to other fungi.

有时，真菌生长的蚂蚁的共生受到主要是Escovopsis属物种的子囊真菌的威胁。进行了GC-MS分析，以研究Escovopsis和共同培养的Leucocoprinus gongylophorus产生的挥发性有机化合物（VOC）。在双重文化中，Escovopsis的发展更快。十六碳烯酸（棕榈酸）和VOC，例如倍半乳菌分泌的倍半萜烯α-雪松烯，β-雪松烯，丁香萜烯，α-檀香烯，α-selinene，雪松烯，（+）-cuparene和δ-cadinene可能是造成这种情况的原因。加快Escovopsis的发芽分生孢子以及更快的菌丝发育。根据这项研究和现有文献，我们推断这两个物种之间的关系是由菌丝干扰（HI）介导的。进一步的研究应该揭示这些真菌产生的某些化合物的生物活性是否对蚂蚁具有吸引力，排斥力或毒性，并对其他真菌具有抑制作用。