| HOME | HELP | FEEDBACK | SUBSCRIPTIONS | ARCHIVE | SEARCH | TABLE OF CONTENTS |
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Department of Plant Pathology, Washington State University, Tree Fruit Research and Extension Center, 1100 North Western Avenue, Wenatchee, Washington 98801
J.D. Rogers
Department of Plant Pathology, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington 99164–6430
Sphaeropsis pyriputrescens, the causal agent of Sphaeropsis rot of pears and apples, is a recently described species. In this study the effects of culture media, temperature, water potential, pH and light on mycelial growth and pycnidial production of S. pyriputrescens were evaluated. Apple juice agar and pear juice agar were most suitable for mycelial growth of all six isolates tested. Cornmeal agar was not suitable for either mycelial growth or pycnidial production. The fungus grew from –3 to 25 C, with optimum growth at 20 C and no growth at 30 C. The fungus grew at water potential as low as –5.6 MPa on potassium chloride-amended potato-dextrose agar (PDA). Hyphal extension was not observed at –7.3 MPa after 10 d incubation, but growth resumed when the inoculum plugs were placed on PDA. The fungus grew at pH 3.3–6.3 and optimum growth was at pH 3.3–4.2. No mycelial growth was observed at pH above 7.2 after 10 d incubation, but growth resumed when the inoculum plugs were transferred onto PDA. Regardless of medium tested, few pycnidia formed at 20 C in the dark. Pycnidial production was enhanced significantly by fluorescent light, but continuous light appeared to reduce pycnidial production, depending on the medium. Oatmeal agar (OMA) was most suitable for production of pycnidia and conidia. Pycnidia that formed on 3 wk old OMA cultures at 20 C under 12 h light/12 h dark produced abundant conidia, and the technique is recommended for inoculum production.
Key words: fungal physiology, postharvest pathogenic fungi
| HOME | HELP | FEEDBACK | SUBSCRIPTIONS | ARCHIVE | SEARCH | TABLE OF CONTENTS |
