Effect of Media Additives on the Production of Beauveria brongniartii, an Entomopathogenic Fungus of Holotrichia serrata

• Published in: Sugar tech : an international journal of sugar crops & related industries Vol. 14; no. 3; pp. 284 - 290
• Main Authors: Srikanth, J., Santhalakshmi, G.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: India Springer-Verlag 01.09.2012; Springer
• Subjects: Agriculture; Analysis; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Calcium chloride; Chitin; Evaluation; Fungi; Lactic acid; Lecithin; Life Sciences; Polyols; Research Article; Mass production; Media additives
• ISSN: 0972-1525; 0974-0740
• DOI: 10.1007/s12355-012-0152-2

Five additives were evaluated for enhancing the production of the entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria brongniartii (Sacc.) Petch in molasses and nutrient media. At selected concentration ranges, the additives produced variable effects on biomass and radial growth of the fungus. As for the more important economic parameter of spore output in broth, calcium chloride (0.5–3.0 %) significantly enhanced it at 1.5 % concentration and above in molasses and nutrient media. Chitin (0.1–0.6 %) significantly enhanced spore output at all but one low concentration in molasses media but only at the higher concentration of 0.5 % in nutrient media. Lactic acid (0.5–3.0 %) significantly reduced spore output in molasses media but enhanced it at 1.5 % and higher concentrations in nutrient media. Polyethylene glycol 6000 (1–6 %) significantly, yet uniformly, enhanced spore output in molasses media but failed to enhance it in nutrient media. Lecithin (1–6 %) in molasses media significantly enhanced spore output at the highest concentration of 6 %. In correlation analysis of parameter response and additive concentration, significant positive correlations were observed for biomass for almost all additives in both the media. For radial growth, the correlation for calcium chloride in molasses alone was significant. Spore output showed significant positive correlations for calcium chloride, chitin and lecithin in molasses media but only lactic acid in nutrient media. Based on correlation analysis and degree of response over that in control, calcium chloride and chitin emerged as the best supplements that can be used with molasses media for increased output of B . brongniartii in mass cultures.