Effect of surfactants and temperature on germination and vegetative growth of Beauveria bassiana

Three non-ionic surfactants: Tween20, Tween80 and Breakthru® were screened for their effects on spore germination and mycelial growth rates and for their influence on three isolates of Beauveria bassiana spore germination at various temperatures. Tween20 and Tween80 were compatible with all the B. bassiana isolates in the germination studies, but inhibited germination at higher surfactant concentrations, irrespective of the conidial concentrations. Breakthru® had an inhibitory effect on germination even at the lowest concentration of 0.1% on all the B. bassiana isolates. The effects of the surfactants on spore germination did not correspond with their effects on colony growth. Conidial viability within the same formulation declined significantly with increases in temperature, irrespective of the surfactant. The optimal temperature for conidial germination of B. bassiana isolates was approximately 25 °C with an upper limit at 30 °C. Isolate 7320 was identified as the least affected by the different surfactants. This isolate was able to germinate rapidly in a broad temperature range of 25–30 °C after 24 h, this characteristic being an essential factor in controlling house fly populations in poultry houses.

Efectos de gradientes térmicos, salinos y pH sobre la germinación in vitro de un aislado nativo de Beauveria bassiana (Bálsamo) Vuillemin, patógeno para Rhodnius prolixus y Triatoma maculata / Effects of thermal, saline and pH gradients on in vitro germination of a native isolate of Beauveria bassiana (Bálsamo) Vuillemin, pathogenic to Rhodnius prolixus and Triatoma maculata

Beauveria bassiana (Bálsamo) Vuillemin es un hongo entomopatógeno empleado en muchos países como agente de control microbiano. En un intento por determinar la influencia de factores ambientales sobre el proceso germinativo, se estudió in vitro en medio sólido agar-Lactrimel, los efectos de gradientes térmicos (6 a 40°C), salinos (4 a 70 por ciento de NaCl) y pH (1,32 a 12) sobre la germinación de conidios de un aislado nativo (LF14) de B. bassiana, que posee una elevada virulencia hacia Rhodnius prolixus y Triatoma maculata, vectores de la tripanosomiasis americana en Venezuela. Los conidios no germinaron en las temperaturas extremas (6 y 40°C), obteniéndose porcentajes de germinación >99 por ciento en el rango de 21-34°C. La germinación del hyphomycete decreció significativamente con el incremento de la concentración de NaCl ([NaCl]), inhibiéndose completamente a partir de la [NaCl] del 7 por ciento, y a los pH 1,32 y 11-12. Los porcentajes de germinación fueron significativamente más elevados (>99 por ciento) en el rango de pH de 4 a 10. A pesar de que aún se necesitan otra serie de estudios para establecer la influencia de otras variables abióticas o bióticas, por su demostrada tolerancia in vitro hacia factores estresantes ambientales (temperatura, pH, [NaCl]), el aislado nativo LF14 de B. bassiana aparece como un potencial patotipo a ser utilizado en futuros programas integrados de control biorracional de triatominos.

Beauveria bassiana (Bàlsamo) Vuillemin is an entomopathogenic fungus widely used as a microbial control agent in many countries. As an attempt to determine the influence of environmental factors on germinative process, the in vitro effects on Lactrimel-agar medium of thermal (6 to 40°C), saline (4 to 70%NaCl) and pH (1.32 to 12) gradients on conidial germination of a native isolate (LF14) of B. bassiana, highly virulent to Rhodnius prolixus y Triatoma maculata, vectors of American tripanosomiasis in Venezuela, were studied. Conidios were not able to germinate at extreme temperatures (6 and 40°C), whereas the germination rates were high at thermal range of 21-34°C. Germination rates decreased significantly with increases of NaCl concentration ([NaCl]) and the germinative process was fully inhibited over a range of [NaCl] 7% and at pH 1.32 and 11-12. Germination rates were significantly higher (99%) at pH range of 4 to 10. In spite of the influence of further abiotic and biotic factors need to be determined, the native isolate LF14 of B. bassiana showed a high in vitro level of tolerance for a wide range of environmental stressant factors (temperature, pH, [NaCl]). Thus, this fungal isolate appeared to be considered as a potential biocontrol agent to be used in integrated control strategies against triatomine vectors.