Submerged culture conidial germination and conidiation of the bioherbicide Colletotrichum truncatum are influenced by the amino acid composition of the medium

Abstract

Submerged culture experiments were conducted to determine the optimal nitrogen source for rapidly producing conidia of the bioherbicide, Colletotrichum truncatum. Germination of C. truncatum conidial inocula in submerged culture occurred most rapidly (>95% in 6 h) in media provided with a complete complement of amino acids. When (NH4)2SO4, urea, or individual amino acids were provided as the sole nitrogen source, conidial germination was less than 20% after 6 h incubation. Conidia production was delayed in C. truncatum cultures grown in media with urea or individual amino acids as nitrogen sources compared to cultures supplied with Casamino acids or complete synthetic amino acid nitrogen sources. The use of methionine, lysine, tryptophan, isoleucine, leucine or cysteine as a sole nitrogen source severely inhibited C. truncatum conidia production. Media with synthetic amino acid mixtures less these inhibitory amino acids produced significantly higher conidia yields compared to media with amino acid mixtures containing these amino acids. When various amounts of each individual inhibitory amino acid were added to media which contained amino acid mixtures, cysteine and methionine were shown to be most effective in reducing conidiation. An optimal nitrogen source for C. truncatum conidiation in submerged culture should contain a complete mixture of amino acids with low levels of cysteine, methionine, leucine, isoleucine, lysine and tryptophan for rapid conidiation and optimal conidia yield. © 1993 Society for Industrial Microbiology.