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Statistical approach to determine the effect of combined environmental parameters on conidial development of Trichoderma atroviride (T‐15603.1)
Author(s) -
Schubert M.,
Mourad S.,
Schwarze F. W. M. R.
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
journal of basic microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.58
H-Index - 54
eISSN - 1521-4028
pISSN - 0233-111X
DOI - 10.1002/jobm.201000036
Subject(s) - germination , conidium , horticulture , germ tube , abiotic component , trichoderma , chemistry , agar , response surface methodology , botany , biology , chromatography , ecology , genetics , bacteria
Trichoderma atroviride (T‐15603.1) is a promising fungal agent for biological control of wood decay fungi in urban tree wounds. The aim of this work was to determine the combined effects of water activity ( a w , 0.998–0.892), temperature (10–30 °C) and pH (3–7) on the development of conidia on low‐nutrient agar (LNA). Lag phase prior to germination (h), germination rates ( µ m ) and germ‐tube elongation were obtained at each set of conditions. The experimental data were used to fit a response surface model for predicting the germination rates of T‐15603.1 and to analyze the effect of the abiotic parameters tested. The polynomial response surface model was mathematically evaluated using graphical plots and several statistical indices (RMSE, %SEP, A f , B f , pRE). Data analyses showed a highly significant effect on conidial development of a w and temperature ( P < 0.001), whereas no significant effect of pH ( P ≥ 0.05) was observed. The germination rate dropped and the lag prior to germination increased as the temperature and a w decreased, but T‐15603.1 appeared to be more sensitive to a w reduction than to temperature. The minimum a w level for germination was 0.910 at 15–25 °C, and maximum germination rates were obtained at a w = 0.998, 25–30 °C and pH 5. The response surface model was useful and widely accurate ( R 2 = 0.983) for predicting the germination rate of T‐15603.1 and complemented the experimental results. These findings contribute to better understanding how combined environmental factors affect the environmental parameter tolerance levels of T‐15603.1 and to the development of an adequate delivery system for optimized application of T‐15603. (© 2010 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)