Evaluation of Media for growth and sporulation characteristics of postharvest pathogens Curvularia lunata and Pestalotiopsis mangiferae

Abstract

Curvularia lunata and Pestalotiopsis mangiferae are two important postharvest fungi which causes great economic loss to banana and mango, respectively, both in terms of quality and quantity. The cultural and morphological characters of these two fungi have been studied on twelve different solid media under in vitro condition. While P. mangiferae grew best in Malt Extract Agar (MEA) followed by OMA (Oat Meal Agar) and Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA), on the other hand C. lunata utilizes Malt Extract Agar (MEA) followed by Malt Extract Peptone Dextrose Agar (MPDA). There is a significant variation in spore size among various media used. The prevalence of sporulation also varied with the media. The synthetic media like Sabouraud's Agar (SA), Richard's Agar (RA) and Czapek's Dox Agar (CDA) did not support sporulation of Pestalotiopsis mangiferae even up to 168 hrs. Maximum sporulation found on PDA for both Curvularia and Pestalotiopsis. Synthetic media (RA, SA, & CDA) showed poor growth and sporulation for two fungi. The growth dynamics of these two fungi was highest up to 48 hrs of incubation period and afterwards a steady growth rate of P. mangiferae till 168 hrs was recorded. In C. lunata growth subsequent to 48 hrs of incubation was almost uniform (0.44–0.50 mm/hr).