Scientists from Montana State University (United States) have reported a study of a fungus which produces volatile hydrocarbons and hydrocarbons that are commonly found in diesel fuel. The organism, called Gliocladium roseum, has been described as a “genetically atypical” fungus which can produce “a wide range of hydrocarbons under conditions of limited oxygen on both oatmeal agar and a pure cellulose-based agar." The researchers reported that some compounds in the hydrocarbon profile of the fungus are normally associated with diesel fuel, and they dubbed the volatiles of this fungus as “myco-diesel"’. According to Professor Gary Strobel, of the Department of Plant Sciences (Montana State University), “This is the only organism that has ever been shown to produce such an important combination of fuel substances. The fungus can even make these diesel compounds from cellulose, which would make it a better source of biofuel than anything we use at the moment”. Their findings are published in a recent issue of the magazine, Microbiology (URL above)..