Use of a novel two-stage cultivation method to determine the effects of environmental factors on the growth and sporulation of several biocontrol fungi

To supply essential information for improving mass production and biocontrol efficacy, two-stage cultivation on agar plates was used to evaluate the environmental conditions affecting mycelial growth and sporulation of seven biocontrol fungi. Maximum growth and sporulation occurred on acid media for Paecilomyces (Pa.) lilacinus IPC-P, Pochonia (Po.) chlamydosporia HSY-12-14, and Lecanicillium lecanii CA-1-G, and on alkaline media for Metarhizium anisopliae isolates. All fungi preferred a certain water potential and temperature for sporulation. Light greatly inhibited the growth of P. lilacinus IPC-P, M. anisopliae SQZ-1-21, and L. lecanii CA-1-G but enhanced the sporulation of P. lilacinus M-14, P. chlamydosporia HSY-12-14, and L. lecanii CA-1-G.